Fried Chicken Legs Marinated in a Soy/Hot Sauce Flour Blend

Marinated Fried Drumsticks

I suppose by now those of y'all who pop by here every so often have probably figured out what my two favorite parts of the bird are. Wings and drumsticks. Love them both, yep I sure do!  Don't get me wrong - I love the rest of the chicken too - those are just my favorites, and drumsticks are a breeze to fry.

This recipe is just a basic fried chicken recipe - yeah, yeah, I know ... it looks like my regular ole Southern Fried Chicken, but I swear it's not! New recipe. New picture. Promise.

Instead of a brine, it is marinated by dipping the drumstick into a mixture of canola and soy sauce, with a bit of hot sauce, seasoned salt and garlic salt for flavor, then dredging it in flour and left to sit in the fridge for awhile. This one was actually inspired by a recipe in Mama Dip's Family Cookbook. It adds a nice, delicate flavor and okay, the truth is, it's just another excuse for chowin' down on some fried chicken!

Depending on your taste for hot sauce and soy sauce, you might want to try it the first time with a lesser amount, say 1 to 2 teaspoons and then adjust to taste the next time you try these.

Here's how to make them.

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Creamy Peanut Butter Pie

It'd be a rare southern cook who didn't have some form of peanut butter pie in his or her dessert repertoire and there are several popular varieties, including a favorite of mine that is what we consider an old fashioned peanut butter pie. Made in layers, beginning with a layer of whipped peanut butter, then topped with a layer of homemade custard and then, of course, meringue. Now that's old school, scratch cookin' and boy is it delicious!  There's also the more popular version that combines peanut butter with often large amounts of non-dairy topping. Quick, easy and also good.

I've had a few requests lately though for a peanut butter pie that is not so heavy on the whipped topping and more cheesecake-like, and I think that this one achieves that.  While it does use some heavy cream, it is only 1/2 a cup, a mere drop in comparison to some of the cream cheese based recipes that call for as much as eight times that!  I used nut mix leftover from my banana splits to top my pie, so while peanuts would be most appropriate, use whatever you have on hand.  Also, where many recipes use powdered sugar, making them sometimes a bit too sweet, we've used brown sugar here instead, which seems to soften that sweetness a bit.  Don't worry, even though this pie is also quick and easy, it is still plenty rich and sweet.

Use a commercial pre-made chocolate pie crust if you like. I used the chocolate sables that I made the other day, which were very rich and didn't need much in the way of additional moisture from the melted butter to bind them. If you are making a homemade cookie crust using plain chocolate wafer cookies, you may need more towards the 4 tablespoons of melted butter.

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Creamy Peanut Butter Pie
From the Kitchen of Deep South Dish

*For the Crust:

1-1/2 cups of crushed chocolate cookie crumbs
2 - 4 tablespoons of melted butter, more or less, or
    just enough to moisten the crumbs

For the Filling:

1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream
1 overflowing teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup of packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup of creamy peanut butter
1 (8 ounce) block of cream cheese, softened
   to room temperature
1/4 cup of finely chopped peanuts, to garnish
Chocolate syrup, to garnish

If making a homemade crust, preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a small bowl, combine the cookie crumbs with some of the melted butter until the crumbs begin to bind. You may or may not need all of the butter, depending on the type of cookie you are using. Turn the crumbs out into a 9-inch pie plate and press into the bottom and sides of the pie plate to form a pie crust. Bake at 350 degrees F for 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack before filling.

Beat the heavy whipping cream with a mixer on medium until it begins to get frothy and thicken slightly.  Add in the vanilla and then the brown sugar, a little at a time, until fully incorporated. Increase speed and continue whipping until cream stiffens and soft peaks form. Scrape out into a separate bowl and set aside.  In the same mixing bowl, add the peanut butter and cream cheese; beat on medium until smooth and well blended. 

Add 1/2 of the whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture and fold in by hand until blended. Add the remaining whipped cream; fold in.  Transfer to the prepared and cooled chocolate crust and swirl or smooth out top. Sprinkle with nuts, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

Remove from refrigerator, allow to sit for about 5 to 10 minutes before slicing.  Drizzle each serving with the chocolate syrup before serving, or simply drizzle all over the top of the whole pie before slicing, if preferred.

Shortcut This:  Purchase a pre-made commercial chocolate pie crust.

Source: http://deepsouthdish.com

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Old Fashioned Apple Pie
Old Fashioned Buttermilk Chess Pie
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Chocolate Sables - World Peace Cookies

If you're looking for a great chocolate cookie, this indeed is one. If you're a food blogger, these are pretty much old news for you, but, I needed some chocolate cookies to use for a crust on my Peanut Butter Pie, and when I received my September issue of Bon Appetit magazine, I ran across these featured lovelies by Dorie Greenspan.

I remembered them going across the blogosphere early last year during a round of Tuesdays with Dorie - a group of food bloggers who bake something from her cookbook, Baking From My Home to Yours, and then post it on Tuesdays. Not that I have ever participated in that - if you pop by here with any regularity, you already know that I am not much of a baker, but... having everything on hand, I decided to give these chocolate morsels a go.  I've been kinda craving chocolate here anyway - the kind that a tiny, foil-wrapped, milk chocolate egg, leftover from Easter won't quite squelch. 

These cookies are considered chocolate sables - a type of French shortbread - but with a bit more chew than the usual shortbread, and rich in dark chocolate. The recipe calls for 1/2 teaspoon of a finishing salt called fleur de sel, which is the secret ingredient providing a nice salty flavor in contrast with the rich chocolate, but substitute 1/4 teaspoon of the more freely available sea salt if you like.

This cookie does come with a bit of history.  Greenspan got the cookie recipe back in 2000 from a French chef, Pierre Herme, who had created the cookie for the Korova restaurant in Paris, and she was just short of publishing them as Korovas in her then new cookbook, Baking From My Home to Yours, when a neighbor of Greenspan's, Richard Gold, put an inadvertent halt to that. He had grown quite fond of these cookies, because he was "convinced that a daily dose of the cookies is all that's needed to ensure planetary peace and happiness."

Greenspan decided to rename them World Peace Cookies.  The cookies earned further notoriety when Greenspan set up a New York City pop-up cookie shop for six days with her son Josh, right about the same time that the bloggers were busy baking these cookies, and the World Peace Cookies were one of the hottest selling cookies of the eight that they offered.

These are roll, chill and slice cookies and don't be dismayed if they crack a bit upon slicing. Apparently that is normal with this dough. Use a sharp knife, slice slowly and if the bottom of the slice cracks off, just push them back together before placing them on the parchment covered baking sheet.  While there had been some bakers with TWD who complained of crumbly dough, thought possibly due to natural cocoa, I used good ole Hershey's original cocoa, and had no issues with it, even without an egg in the recipe.

One thing. You really won't think these cookies are done when they are, so if you know your oven, trust the time and not your eye. These are a decadent indulgence, and if you're a chocolate lover, you will adore them.

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Chocolate Sables - World Peace Cookies
Adapted from the Kitchen of Deep South Dish

1-1/4 cups of all purpose flour
1/3 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 stick plus 3 tablespoons (11 tablespoons)
   unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 cup (packed) light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
5 ounces bittersweet chocolate (85% cacao or less),
   chopped fine

Sift flour, cocoa, and baking soda into a medium size bowl. Beat the butter using a mixer until smooth, but not fluffy. Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar, vanilla, and sea salt; beat until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add flour mixture about 1/2 cup at a time; beat just until blended together. Add the chopped chocolate and mix only enough to distribute. Divide dough in half and place each half on sheet of plastic wrap, forming them into  logs, about an inch and a half in diameter. Wrap and place into the refrigerator for several hours or until logs are firm.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a sharp knife, cut logs into slices about one-half inch thick. If chunks break off, simply press them back into place. Place onto the parchment paper about one inch apart and bake only one sheet at a time, about 11 to 12 minutes. You really won't think these cookies are done when they are, because they don't get that familiar dryness around the edges.  If you know your oven, trust the time and not your eye.

Transfer to a rack; cool completely. These are best eaten still slightly warm, but are still especially good even once they've cooled.

Source:  http://deepsouthdish.com

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Crab Stuffed Mushrooms

Well... it's gettin' to be party time y'all!!  Stuffed mushrooms are one of my favorite finger-food party snacks, but for these, I grabbed some stuffer caps - the bigger mushrooms already cleaned and ready to stuff - from my local and most favorite grocery store, Rouse's Market.  You can use any kind of mushroom that can be stuffed of course.

Thanks to my wonderful mother-in-law sending over a couple of packets of already picked crabmeat from Dad's last round of crab-trap-fetch earlier this summer, instead of the more traditional sausage or cheese stuffing, I thought that I would showcase some crab stuffing in them for a change.  A small cookie scoop makes an easy job of stuffing these.

Yum, yum. De-lish y'all - enjoy!

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Crab Stuffed Mushrooms
From the Kitchen of Deep South Dish

2 (12 count each) packages of mushroom stuffer caps
6 tablespoons of butter, divided
1/2 cup of chopped onion, finely minced
1/4 cup of chopped green bell pepper, finely minced
2 slices of white or white wheat bread, toasted
1/2 pound of fresh lump crabmeat
1 egg
Pinch of salt
About 4 turns of the pepper grinder
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of Cajun seasoning (like Slap Ya Mama)
1/2 teaspoon of Old Bay seasoning
Couple shakes of dried parsley
1 tablespoon of dried bread crumbs
1 tablespoon of shredded Parmesan cheese, optional
Lemon wedges

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat and add the onion and bell pepper; cook until softened, remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly. Toast the bread slices, sprinkle each piece with a good spray of water to wet them thoroughly and set aside in a bowl to let sit for about 2 minutes. Pick through the crabmeat to check for stray cartilage and shell; set aside.

Melt the remaining butter. Squeeze out the bread and break it up. Add the egg to the bread and mix. Add the salt, pepper, Cajun seasoning, Old Bay, and parsley; carefully turn until well mixed. Add the crab and half of the melted butter, gently mix.

Brush the tops of the mushroom caps with the butter and bake at 350 degrees for 5 minutes. Remove, flip the caps over and brush with butter. Using a small cookie scoop, scoop out the crab mixture and top each mushroom cap.  Sprinkle with a tiny bit of bread crumbs and a tiny sprinkle of Parmesan, if desired. Drizzle top with remaining butter.

Bake at 350 degrees about 20 minutes, or until mushroom has give to it and is cooked through. Serve warm with wedges of lemon.

Source:  http://deepsouthdish.com

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Crab Stuffed Potatoes
Hot Crab Dip
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Stuffed Summer Squash

Stuffed Summer Squash is another great recipe to use the tail end of summer squash, garden fresh tomatoes and even some of those bell peppers too.  The image below is pre-bread crumb, but I wanted to show you how pretty the stuffing looks. The flavor of this is just wonderful and I especially like it with the Pepper Jack cheese, since it provides a nice, spicy kick that I think is a perfect accent to this dish. Of course if you prefer to go a bit milder, any cheese will do such as regular shredded Monterey jack cheese, Cheddar or whatever is your favorite cheese. 

The picture below shows what it looks like sprinkled with the bread crumbs and after cooking. Like the Layered Squash Casserole I featured here recently, I used panko again, but regular bread crumbs or even crumbled saltines would also work. I really like the contrast of the crunch from the panko bread crumbs with the tender vegetables though, and they are finally readily available at most stores now.

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Stuffed Summer Squash
From the Kitchen of Deep South Dish

4 to 6 large yellow squash
6 slices of bacon
1/4 cup of chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup of sliced green onion
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1-1/2 cups of shredded pepper jack cheese
Salt and pepper, to taste
Panko bread crumbs
2 tablespoons of butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an oblong baking pan with non-stick spray. Trim ends off of squash, place into a large pot, cover with water and bring to a boil. Boil until tender, about 8 to 9 minutes. Remove and set aside until cool enough to handle.  Meanwhile, cook bacon until crisp; set aside. When cool, chop.

Saute the bell pepper in the bacon fat until tender; add the green onion and garlic, cook another minute. Use a slotted spoon to transfer mixture to a bowl. Scoop out the seeds from the squash and discard. Add tomatoes to the pepper mixture, add the cheese and bacon. Season with salt and pepper to taste, stir to mix. 

Place squash shells into the prepared pan.  Use a slotted spoon to fill the shells of the squash with the tomato stuffing. Sprinkle tops with panko bread crumbs and drizzle each with the melted butter.  Bake at 350 degrees F for 40 to 45 minutes, or until sizzling and golden brown on top. Use a wide spatula to transfer to plates.

Source:  http://deepsouthdish.com

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Summer Squash Casserole
Layered Squash and Tomato Casserole
Shrimp and Crab Stuffed Mirlitons

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Baking potatoes, halved, toss with olive oil, salt & pepper & cooked on a hot grill.

Grilled Baked Potatoes

One of the easiest ways to grill baked potatoes is to simply wrap them in foil and cook them over direct heat until tender. You can unwrap them the last few minutes to crisp them up, but to me, it still tastes more like a steamed potato, which is good, but is missing that "baked" flavor. I don't wrap my potatoes when I bake them in the oven either - just wash, prick a few times with a fork or knife, and bake directly on the rack.  Course you can also cook them on the grill without wrapping but, either way, it takes about as long as it would in the oven.

Instead, treat them basically as you do other veggies on the grill, by slicing them lengthwise and then grilling them right over direct heat.  You get that baked flavor you want with a smaller time investment and the bonus of grilling so you don't have to heat up the oven. Simple. Delicious!

If you have very large bakers, or if you're running shorter on time, get a head start with the microwave by pricking several times with the tines of a fork, then cooking on high for 5 minutes.  Slice lengthwise and grill.  Goes great with those Spicy Sugar Steaks I posted recently.

Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 45 min

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Grilled Baked Potatoes
From the Kitchen of Deep South Dish

Large baking potatoes, like Idahos
Olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
Sprig of rosemary, stripped

Preheat grill to high. If potatoes are extra large, prick several times with a knife or fork and microwave for 5 minutes.  Split in half lengthwise and toss with olive oil until coated all over.  Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. Place potatoes, cut side down over direct heat and grill for 15 to 20 minutes or until nicely browned. Use tongs to turn, sprinkle the cut sides with the rosemary and continue grilling another 10 to 15 minutes or until tender. Check with a fork or with the tip of a knife to see if soft. Drizzle with additional olive oil or add a pat of butter before serving.

Source:  http://deepsouthdish.com

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Pan Roasted Rosemary Parmesan Potatoes
Cold Baked Potato Salad
Crab Stuffed Potatoes

Images and Content ©2010 Mary Foreman/Deep South Dish. All rights reserved.
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Chicken and herb dressing made with a

Southern Chicken and Herb Dressing

Okay. Fair warning. This recipe for southern chicken and dressing is a bread dressing and it has a butter roux - puh-lenty of butter. Like 1 full stick of Paula Deen worthy butter. And this one is made with a combination of chicken and herb dressing, meaning bread dressing and not cornbread, so don't go balking at me. If you're counting calories or fat grams, well you're probably lost to begin with, but you can factor in your own slenderizing, though I do offer an alternative in the recipe. Let's just say this is not the kind of dish that you'd probably want to serve every day - maybe more of an occasional, company's coming, Sunday dinner, or special weekend, potluck, party or holiday kind of dish.

And yes, I also know that chicken and dressing, a very beloved dish in the south, is more traditionally made with a cornbread base, but... I had a bunch of tail end pieces of bread to use up, and that's what southern cooking is really all about anyway. Using things up. Plus, I didn't feel like making a skillet of cornbread, and I thought it'd be a good time to get a bread and herb based version of chicken and dressing up anyway. Just substitute a pan or skillet of cornbread or a couple boxes of Jiffy for the toasted bread, if you prefer cornbread dressing.

Instead of mixing all of the ingredients together, I thought I'd try something a bit different by layering it instead, sort of like the Trisha Yearwood Chicken Broccoli Casserole I posted not too long ago. Then I topped it with a homemade gravy made from a light (as in color y'all, not calories) butter based roux. Butter.

For most of my dressing recipes, I like to use a blend of herbs and seasonings that is a copycat version of Bell's seasoning. I learned about Bell's on The Martha Stewart Show, but have never been able to find it locally, so I had to resort to a copycat recipe, because I can never remember to order it online in time for when I need it. It's just a nice blend to me and not too overly heavy on the sage. Of course if you have access to Bell's use the real deal, otherwise I've included the mix at the bottom. If you'd rather not make the mix, just include some of those elements in the dressing instead.

This makes a full sized casserole and should make 8 to 10 servings, or more, with a salad and vegetable on the plate. Unless, of course, you are The Cajun.

Be sure to check out my 7 Top Tips to Perfect Your Holiday Stuffing. 

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Recipe: Southern Chicken and Herb Dressing

©From the Kitchen of Deep South Dish

Prep time: 20 min |Cook time: 45 min |

Yield: About 8 to 10 servings

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Ingredients

For the Cooked Chicken and Broth:

• 1 (3-4 pound) whole chicken, or equal white, dark or mixed pieces (about 4 cups of shredded cooked chicken)
• 1/2 onion, cut into chunks
• 1 carrot, cut into chunks
• 1 stalk of celery, with leaves, cut into chunks
• 2 large pinches of kosher salt for the pot

For the Dressing:

• 4 cups of toasted, torn bread
• 1 sleeve of saltine crackers, crushed
• 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter
• 1 cup of chopped sweet or yellow onion
• 1 stalk of celery, chopped
• 2 teaspoons of Bell's seasoning (or copycat recipe below)
• 1/4 teaspoon of poultry seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon of freshly cracked black pepper
• 4 large eggs, divided
• About 6 cups of the reserved broth or commercial chicken broth, divided

Gravy:

• 1/2 cup of butter
• 1/2 cup of all purpose flour
• Additional salt and pepper, for the roux, to taste
• 2 large eggs

Instructions

Completely cover chicken over with water, add the onion, carrot and celery and generously salt; bring to a boil and simmer just until cooked through, without overcooking. Remove the chicken, reserving the broth; set both aside to cool. Shred the chicken. Butter an oblong, 9 x 13 inch baking dish or spray with non-stick spray; set aside. Add the toasted, torn bread and crushed saltines to a large bowl; set aside.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a skillet and saute the one cup of chopped onion and the stalk of chopped celery until softened, but not browned. Add the seasoning mix, poultry seasoning, salt and pepper. Transfer contents to the shredded bread. Beat 2 of the eggs with 2 cups of the cooled broth and add to the bread mixture, tossing to coat. Use additional broth if needed to make more moist.

In a large skillet, make a roux with the butter and flour, cooking and stirring for about 4 minutes. Slowly add in the remaining 4 cups of broth until fully incorporated. Add salt and pepper, taste and adjust. Beat the remaining two eggs in a small bowl. Remove about 1/2 cup of the gravy from the skillet and slowly beat it into the eggs, adding additional gravy until eggs are tempered in.  Stir the egg mixture into the gravy mixture until blended, remove from the heat.

To the buttered baking dish add 1/2 of the dressing mixture. Top that with all of the chicken and then sprinkle the remaining dressing on top of the chicken. Pour the gravy mixture all over the top. Bake at 325 degrees F for about 45 minutes. Let settle for 5 minutes before serving.

~Cook's Notes~

If you prefer to forgo the buttery roux, you can substitute a family sized can of condensed cream of chicken soup and mix that with enough milk until you have a nice, fairly thick "gravy." Season with salt and pepper and pour that on top, in place of the roux based gravy. You can substitute the lower fat soup if you like. You can also substitute a pan or skillet of cornbread for the bread to make cornbread dressing.

Source: http://deepsouthdish.com

Be sure to check out my 7 Top Tips to Perfect Your Holiday Stuffing.

*Bell's Seasoning Copycat
From the Kitchen of Deep South Dish

4-1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary
4 teaspoons dried oregano
3-3/4 teaspoons dried sage
3-1/2 teaspoons ground dried ginger
3 teaspoons dried marjoram
2-3/4 teaspoons dried thyme
3/4 teaspoons ground black pepper

Mix together and grind to fine powder using a coffee or spice grinder.

You can forgo the seasoning mix in the dressing and simply include some of the ingredients if you prefer, however, Bell's seasoning is great as a seasoning for meats and is excellent in meatloaf and burgers also!

Makes about 1/2 cup

Source: http://deepsouthdish.com

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Check These Out Too!

Herbed Bread Dressing
Traditional Southern Cornbread Dressing
Oyster Dressing

Posted by Mary on August 19, 2010

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If you love heat, you're gonna love Shrimp Sauce Piquant. Piquant translated from French means literally "pricking" and that is what this spicy sauce piquant is meant to do, prick the tongue.

Shrimp Sauce Piquant

Most of y'all know that I try to keep the Cajun and Creole recipes I feature here with a slight bite, knowing well that many people will take recipes very literally. It is certainly much easier to increase the heat to taste in a spicy recipe than it is to try to take it away! So I try to keep things on the lighter side of spicy here for the general public, and let the reader choose to increase to their own heat level. Sauce piquant is one exception.

While sauce piquant is closely related to it's cousin, Shrimp Creole, with a few subtle differences, there is one major exception. It is intended to be a very highly spiced dish. Chef Paul Prudhomme says "if you don't hover between pleasure and pain when you eat it, chances are you haven't made your sauce piquant hot enough!"

The best flavor for your piquant is going to come from using the freshest ingredients. Fresh Gulf shrimp and stock made from the heads and shells of them, and fresh garden tomatoes that have been slow roasted and pureed will make this dish shine. In a pinch though, commercial seafood, chicken, or even vegetable stock and canned tomato sauce will still make a mighty fine sauce piquant.

Sauce piquant should start with a roux, though it is a very small roux, say in comparison to a gumbo roux, and this is one of those old Cajun recipes that is not intended to be a rushed process. If you work away from home, it's a weekend dish for you, as the flavor of the piquant comes through slow cooking, and the staged periodic addition of the stock, a little at a time. You add stock and then allow it to cook in a bit, before adding additional stock and then repeating the process. This really builds up the flavor and to me, is the secret to a good sauce piquant.

Besides shrimp, this basic sauce can also be used for other seafood such as crab or fish, and a variety of meats as well. The process is just slightly different, and of course, the stock varies depending on what protein you are using. Chicken, duck, alligator, rabbit and even turtle are commonly used, but, unlike seafood, always brown meats first before starting the sauce.

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Recipe: Shrimp Sauce Piquant

©From the Kitchen of Deep South Dish

Prep time: 45 min |Cook time: 2 hours |

Yield: About 6 to 8 servings

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Ingredients

• 2 pounds of medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2 teaspoons plus 1 tablespoon of Cajun seasoning (like Slap Ya Mama), divided
  
• 2 tablespoons of canola oil
• 2 tablespoons of all purpose flour
• 2 cups of chopped onion
• 1 cup of chopped green bell pepper
• 1/2 cup of chopped celery
• 5 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 2 cups of slow roasted tomatoes, pureed,* or canned tomato sauce
• 4 cups of shrimp stock*
• Juice of half a lemon

Instructions

Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels and sprinkle with 2 teaspoons of the Cajun seasoning. Refrigerate until needed.

Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed stockpot over medium high heat, stirring in the flour. Cook, stirring constantly, until the roux becomes a medium brown, caramel colored. Add the onion, bell pepper and celery and cook over medium heat, stirring often until vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another minute. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon of Cajun seasoning and 1 cup of the shrimp stock, bring to a boil and continue at a medium boil, stirring often for about 5 minutes. Add the tomato sauce, return to a boil, reduce heat to medium low and let simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

After the first hour, stir in another cup of shrimp stock, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes longer. Repeat, adding a cup of the stock and cooking another 30 minutes.

Add the lemon juice and cook for another 10 minutes, then add the last cup of stock, bring to a boil, add the shrimp, and simmer for another 15 to 20 minutes.

Spoon over rice in bowls and serve with buttered French bread to sop up the juices.

*Can substitute canned tomato sauce and commercial seafood, chicken or vegetables broth/stock.

Source: http://deepsouthdish.com

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©Deep South Dish

Check These Out Too!

Shrimp Creole
Shrimp Spaghetti
Seafood Gumbo

Posted by Mary on August 17, 2010

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Bowtie Pasta and Peas with Bacon {Farfalle con Piselli}

This bowtie pasta and peas with bacon dish is a totally un-authentic and highly Southernized version of Butterflies (Bowtie Pasta) and Peas {Farfalle con Piselli}, a classic Italian pasta dish.  It' is a super easy and fast but tasty pasta dish I think you'll really enjoy.

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Bowtie Pasta and Peas with Bacon
Farfalle con Piselli
From the Kitchen of Deep South Dish

4 slices of bacon, cooked and chopped
1 pound of farfalle (bowtie) pasta
2 large pinches of kosher salt for the pasta water
1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
1 Vidalia onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 cups of reserved pasta water
1 tablespoon of fresh chopped parsley
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Cajun seasoning, to taste*
2/3 cup of half and half
1 can of LeSueur early peas, drained
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, optional

Cook the bacon and chop; set aside.  Add two big pinches of kosher salt to a large pot of boiling water for the pasta. Cook al dente according to package directions. Reserve 2 cups of the pasta water before draining the pasta.

When pasta is just about ready, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, and saute the onion until soft, but not browned, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another minute. Stir in one cup of the pasta water and the parsley, salt, pepper, Cajun seasoning and half and half; bring to a boil. Add the peas, reduce heat and simmer just until the peas are warmed through. Taste and adjust seasonings. Add the remaining pasta water only as needed for moisture. Serve immediately.

Variation:  Toss in some cooked protein if you like. Chopped cooked chicken, shrimp, even smoked sausage would be a nice addition.

Note:  I used Zatarain's Big & Zesty Garlic & Herb Creole seasoning. It's a larger flake seasoning, and I love the way that it accents the bowties.

Source: http://deepsouthdish.com

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Giada's Pasta with Carrots and Peas
Sausage with Rigatoni in Tomato Cream Sauce
Spaghetti alla Carbonara

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Chicken is first lightly fried, then a gravy is prepared with the seasoned flour and pan drippings, the chicken is dunked right in the gravy and slow baked.

Chicken and Gravy

This is not your typical fried chicken with gravy, oh no. While the chicken does indeed get a quick fry, the purpose of frying the chicken is primarily to season the oil and add body to the gravy, so don't expect a crunchy fried chicken end product here. Gravy is then made from the seasoned drippings and the chicken is dunked right into the gravy and the whole thing is finished slow in the oven.  Holy fat grams, it is some kind of delicious y'all.

I recommend a cast iron dutch oven and dark meat chicken for this dish so use legs, thighs or a combination of the two, though you can certainly use a whole cut up chicken also. First you'll dredge the chicken in seasoned flour and then fry it - you're just looking to lightly brown it, since it finishes in the oven - and just enough oil for browning, maybe about a cup. Reserve the seasoned flour and set the browned chicken on a rack while you get the rest of the dish ready.

Saute onion and bell pepper in the drippings and once that is cooked down and tender, stir in 3/4 cup of the seasoned flour a little at a time until it's fully incorporated.

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12 Ways to Enjoy Summer Tomatoes

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I love summer tomatoes - there's just nothing like them - and while we southerners would all like to lay claim to our states having the best of the best of them, in my little ole humble opinion, any tomato freshly plucked from the garden is the best! I do always lament the passing of summer tomatoes however because tomatoes the rest of the year just have no taste in comparison. While it sure doesn't feel like it by the temperatures outside, it is on the horizon, so here are some of my favorite ways to enjoy them ... while they last.

The First Tomato of the Season

I have a ritual for the first tomato of the season out of my garden. I slice it. Douse it with some kosher salt and plenty of freshly cracked black pepper, put a dab of mayo - preferably Duke's - on the side, and savor it slowly, bite by lovely bite. While that "first tomato" is long past, this side dish is still one of the best ways to enjoy fresh garden tomatoes. Simple and delicious.

The Classic Tomato Sandwich

Now I do love good whole wheat bread, don't get me wrong, but in my opinion the classic southern tomato sandwich is made on white bread and with nothing else but thick slices of dripping garden fresh tomatoes, salt and pepper and plenty of mayo. Oh, and lots of napkins.

The Classic BLT

Made on either white or wheat toasted bread with thick slices of garden fresh summer tomatoes, crispy slices of bacon, lettuce, salt and pepper and again, plenty of mayo.

Grilled Cheese with Tomato and Vidalia Onion

This is one of my favorite sandwiches.  Good ole unpretentious sliced American cheese, and sandwiched between that cheese, sliced garden fresh summer tomatoes and very thin slices of Vidalia onion, buttered bread, toasted in a pan on the stovetop. White or wheat bread works here. Yum.

Fried Egg BLT

When I worked in my past life at the law firm, this was one of my favorite breakfast sandwiches to get at the Triplett-Day Drugstore next door. White or wheat works here.  Hey did y'all know that little ole drugstore and it's still-in-existence-soda-fountain made it into July/August 2010 issue of Food Network Magazine in the State by State Best Breakfasts feature? Yep, sure did!  Not for this sandwich, but for their simple beignets.

The Classic Turkey Club Sandwich

A diner food favorite - take that BLT and add some fresh, sliced turkey breast and an extra slice of toast sandwiched between the layers. Yum.

Slow Roasted Tomatoes

Whirl 'em up for a great sauce for dipping, for pasta or rice, in soup, or pizza. Keep it chunky for  bruschetta, or add them whole to a Mason jar topped with extra olive oil for sandwiches or snacking!

Garden Fresh Tomato Pie with Bacon

A trio of fresh from the garden tomatoes, basil rolled and cut into thin chiffonade ribbons, and freshly grated fresh mozzarella cheese - like an Insalata Caprese in a pie - the tomatoes really shine with this one!

Insalata Caprese

Speaking of which - what could be more classic? Slices of tomato, wedged between slices of fresh mozzarella and whole basil leaves, and drizzled with extra virgin olive oil. Simple. Delicious.

Panzanella Salad on Romaine

Panzanella is basically a "use it up" vegetable and bread salad that highlights tomatoes. While it's not traditional to serve it over romaine, that's how I like it, so that's what I do! 

Fire 'n Ice Salad

Another favorite of mine and a great way to showcase those garden fresh tomatoes, cucumbers and bell peppers too! Spicy, sweet and sour all at once and delicious.

Simple Summer Salad

Toss those garden fresh cucumbers and tomatoes with some red onion and homemade or commercial Italian dressing. Simple and so good.

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Lagniappe

Homemade Fresh Tomato Soup
Southern Okra and Tomatoes
Mississippi Style Texas Caviar Salsa
Stuffed Summer Squash
Creole Tomato Sauce
Eggs in Purgatory
Southern Homestyle Tomato Gravy
How to Preserve Tomatoes in the Freezer
Southern Fried Green Tomatoes


What's your favorite way?

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Panzanella salad may not be southern, but it sure fits in with our hot summer days and you don't even have to turn the oven on for homemade croutons - just grill your bread instead!

Panzanella Salad on Romaine

Yeah, yeah... I know. Panzanella salad isn't southern and it usually isn't served with lettuce either, but I like mine that way so that is how I eat it. I just mix up the panzanella - a salad that was probably originally born out of the need to use up stale bread and whatever else happened to be in abundance in the garden - and then I spoon it over crisp romaine lettuce. The early panzanella salads probably did not even utilize tomatoes, but these days, it is pretty much built around the two - bread and tomatoes - and then mixed with whatever fresh garden veggies are on  hand.

Panzanella was not a salad I grew up with and the first time I tried it, I made the one that uses soaked bread that you then squeeze out and tear. Not a fan. But, toast the bread and it's a whole 'nother story! Take that up a level and infuse that bread with garlic olive oil, and it's a real winner.

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The Absolute Best Homemade Croutons

Garlic infused olive oil is the key to these beautifully crispy and golden brown croutons.

Homemade Croutons

The Absolute Best. Perfect. World's Best. Awesome. I always smile when I see that in a recipe title, because while it may be a bit presumptuous, sometimes we really do think that our whatever-recipe is the best of the best, don't we?

Well... while you may or may not agree with me, these croutons are the absolute best I've ever eaten and I swear, as a bonafide bread junkie, I could make a meal of them alone. The infusion of the garlic in the oil is the key I think and it makes a world of difference, whether you are just tossing these with a good ole fresh garden salad, or a yummy panzanella salad.  Enjoy.

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Spicy Sugar Steaks

Spicy Grilled Sugar Steaks

You don't see much on this site about steaks and it's not because we don't eat them - we certainly do. It's because my favorite steak, hands down, is a rib-eye, and to me they just don't need anything much.  A quick dousing of Dale's, Country Bob's, or just plain ole Worcestershire sauce while it comes to room temperature for the grill, and that's about all I ever do most of the time.  I don't even add salt or pepper to them, before or after, and no steak sauce or enhancements for this gal.

But my Sugar Steak is one exception.

I adore this rub and so does The Cajun.  And while I know it seems odd to put sugar on a steak, trust me - it is some kind of good.  I'm sure lots of you have heard of pork rib rubs with brown sugar, and a few of you might have seen sugar grilled steaks from people like Steven Raichlen, or maybe you've seen the mixes in the stores, but the truth is sugar steaks have been around for a long time, and even if you're pretty much a steak purist like me, I think you'll enjoy this for a change of pace.

A pretty good general purpose rub for burgers, chicken and pork chops too by the way, this has a nice Cajun bite to it, but if you prefer things a bit more on the milder side, you can eliminate the Cajun seasoning, and use regular chili powder instead of chipotle.

And yes, I know... there are no pretty crosshatch markings on my steak - though knowing I was going to photograph these for the blog I truly had intended to do that, and well, between having to add a new tank midstream and trying to grill between the thunderstorms, frankly, I didn't think about it. Seeing as I'm not in any way, shape or form a BBQ (as in slow smoke cooking and not the sauce) aficionado, honestly, I don't really worry about that all that much either. Eh, maybe next time - but don't count on it.

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Spicy Sugar Steaks
From the Kitchen of Deep South Dish

4 (3/4" thick) beef steaks (NY Strip, T-Bone, Rib-eye)
1/2 cup of dark brown sugar, packed
1 tablespoon of paprika
1 tablespoon of chipotle chili powder
1 tablespoon of salt
1/2 tablespoon of fresh cracked black pepper
1 tablespoon of Slap Ya Mama, or your favorite
   Cajun/Creole seasoning
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon of onion powder

Place the steaks on a glass plate or platter. Combine all of the remaining ingredients and mix with a fork until well combined. Apply half of the rub mixture on one side of the steak. Turn and apply the remaining rub on the other side, applying some to the sides of the steak. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate several hours or overnight.

Remove steaks and bring to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Grill or pan fry as usual - let rest 5 minutes before serving.

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Source:  http://deepsouthdish.com

Check These Out Too!

Cajun Steak Marinade
Creole Smothered Steak
Grillades and Grits
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Review: Grilled Chicken Florentine for Two from Macaroni Grill

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The giveaway is closed! Congratulations to Linda in New Mexico!! Send me your contact info within 48 hours to claim your prize. Thanks for participating y'all!!

Iced tea and iced coffee have been a "hot" ticket beverage item around this house the past few weeks with this extended heat wave.  I am very grateful for my central air conditioning right now and c'mon fall is about all I can say about that!

Well... to celebrate the end of Deep South Dish's 1st birthday week, I thought that I would host another giveaway courtesy of MyBlogspark and Macaroni Grill, that will help to get you out of the kitchen quick!

First off, I'm a big fan of easy skillet dinners, and especially ones that involve pasta, so I was excited to try the new Macaroni Grill Grilled Chicken Florentine frozen entrée. We don't have a Macaroni Grill Restaurant where I live, so it's nice that Romano's Macaroni Grill is offering four new frozen entrées available right at your supermarket! This entrée contains grilled white meat chicken and spinach with farfalle bow-tie pasta, tossed in a delicious creamy Parmesan cheese and garlic sauce. It's the perfect size for two adults. And let me tell you. Nothing could be easier.

Just literally dump the package in a microwave safe covered casserole dish, or a non-stick skillet, add 1/3 cup of milk - cover and cook for about 15 minutes. That's it!

The flavor of this dish is so fresh and yummy y'all that nobody will know it came out of a package from the freezer. Even my non-veggie eating husband - who wouldn't knowingly touch spinach if his life depended on it - gobbled this dish up and declared it "delicious."  If you know The Cajun, you know that means this dish was a winner for sure. I can't wait to try the other varieties!

Macaroni Grill frozen entrées are available now in your grocery store's freezer section and there are several to choose from. Now you can enter for a chance to try it for yourself!

One winner will receive a Macaroni Grill prize pack that includes one Macaroni Grill Frozen Entrée sample (may be different from this one), in addition to a serving bowl and pasta tongs.

Pop over to Macaroni Grill at Home, come back and leave a comment and share which Macaroni Grill frozen entrée you would most like to try ~OR~ name another favorite Italian meal in the comments that you would love to see Macaroni Grill add to their frozen entrée lineup.  Be sure to grab a coupon while you're there! Please note: To enter you must be at least 18 years of age.

Earn a bonus entry by following Deep South Dish and Macaroni Grill on Twitter.  Then share this post and link on your Twitter account:

Win a delicious frozen entree, pasta bowl & tongs from @MacaroniGrill & @DeepSouthDish #myblogspark http://bit.ly/cv1j0x

If you don't have a Twitter account, you can also SHARE this link on your Facebook page, in an individual post on your blog, or at another community/networking page to earn the extra entries.

http://www.deepsouthdish.com/2010/08/grilled-chicken-florentine-for-two-from.html 

Can be Shared OR Tweeted up to once daily - each for a separate entry!  Just be sure to come back and leave a separate comment, with a link to your tweet or share or post, for it to count toward extra entries. {CLICK ON where it says "xx Minutes Ago" to get the link}


Follow Macaroni Grill on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news and special offers from Macaroni Grill.


Good Luck Y'all!!

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The Rules


➮Giveaway closes on Sunday, August 15, 2010 at 12:00 noon CST. 
➮Open to residents of the United States only please.
➮You must be at least 18 years of age to enter.
➮You must leave an email address in your comment, or be linked to a public profile containing your email address.
➮The winner will be notified by email and will have 48 hours from the time of that email to reply and claim their win before an alternate winner will be selected.

Disclosure:  Macaroni Grill provided me with the free product, information, and prize pack through MyBlogSpark.


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