Recipes from the South

I was going through my family recipes the other day, and I pulled out a few of my all time favorites to share. This collection is some of my favorite southern foods!

Southern Fried Chicken
Ingredients:
2 cup(s) buttermilk
2 tablespoon(s) hot pepper sauce
1 tablespoon(s) salt
2 (3 1/2 pounds each) chickens, each cut into 8 pieces
2 cup(s) all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon(s) baking powder
1 teaspoon(s) ground black pepper
1 teaspoon(s) paprika
5 cup(s) vegetable oil or shortening for frying

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Directions

1.In extra-large (2- to 2 1/2-gallon) zip-tight plastic bag, combine buttermilk, hot pepper sauce, and 1 teaspoon salt. Add chicken pieces, turning to coat. Seal bag, pressing out excess air. Place bag in bowl; refrigerate 2 to 24 hours to marinate, turning bag over once.

2.In pie plate, stir flour, baking powder, pepper, paprika, and remaining 2 teaspoons salt until well mixed. Remove chicken, a few pieces at a time, from buttermilk, shaking off excess. Add chicken to flour mixture, turning to coat well. Place chicken pieces so that they do not touch one another on wire rack, set over waxed paper. Repeat with remaining chicken. Let stand until coating has set, about 15 minutes. Discard buttermilk mixture.

3.Meanwhile, preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Line two 15 1/2-inch by 10 1/2-inch jelly-roll pans or large cookie sheets with paper towels. Divide oil between two 12-inch skillets, preferably electric (there should be about 1/2 inch oil in each skillet), and heat over medium heat until temperature reaches 360 degrees F on deep-fry thermometer.

4.To each skillet, add 4 chicken pieces, skin side down, being careful to avoid crowding. Cover skillets and cook until chicken is light golden brown on bottom, 4 to 5 minutes. Turn pieces and cook, covered (reducing heat to medium-low if necessary to maintain a temperature of 300 degrees F), 8 to 10 minutes longer for white meat, 13 to 15 minutes longer for dark meat, turning pieces every 4 or 5 minutes, until well browned on all sides and juices run clear when thickest part is pierced with tip of knife. Using tongs, transfer chicken pieces to lined jelly-roll pans to drain; keep warm in oven. Repeat with remaining chicken. Makes 8 main-dish servings.


Southern Pecan Pie
Ingredients:
1 (refrigerated ) pie crust , half a 15-oz. package, softened as directed
1 3/4 cup(s) pecan halves
3/4 cup(s) (dark) corn syrup
1/2 cup(s) (packed) dark brown sugar
4 tablespoon(s) (unsalted) butter, melted
1 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
3 large eggs

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Directions

1.Preheat oven to 425ºF. Line a 9-inch glass pie plate with the pie-crust dough. Fold overhang under and pinch to form a decorative edge.

2.Line the pie shell with foil, fill with dried beans or uncooked rice and bake 15 minutes. Remove foil with beans or rice and return to oven until golden, 5 to 10 minutes longer. Cool on a wire rack.

3.Reduce oven temperature to 350ºF. Coarsely chop 1 cup pecans; reserve remaining pecan halves.

4.In large bowl, with wire whisk, mix corn syrup, brown sugar, melted butter, vanilla and eggs until blended. Stir in chopped pecans and pecan halves.

5.Pour filling into crust. Bake 45 to 50 minutes, until edges of filling are set (center will jiggle slightly). Cool completely on wire rack. Garnish with whipped cream before serving, if you like.


Southern Style Onion Rings
Ingredients:
3 large Vidalia onions, cut into 1/4-inch slices, and separated into rings
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or more to taste
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
1 quart oil for deep frying

Directions

1.Line 2 baking sheets with waxed paper; set aside. Line 2 additional baking sheets or 1 tray with paper towels; set aside.

2.Place 1 1/2 cups of flour in a shallow bowl. Pour the milk into a second shallow bowl. In a third bowl, stir together the cornmeal, 2 cups flour, sugar, salt, paprika, cayenne pepper, thyme, and black pepper.

3.Dip the onion rings first into the plain flour, then into the milk, and last into the cornmeal mixture. Place the breaded rings on the wax paper-lined baking sheets.

4.Heat the oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat, or deep-fryer to 365 degrees F (185 degrees C).

5.Fry the onion rings a few at a time in the hot oil so they are not crowded, until golden brown. Drain on paper towel-lined baking sheets, and serve immediately.


Southern Butter Rolls

Ingredients
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup white sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups cold water
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Directions

1.Mix together flour, sugar, salt, and instant yeast. Mix in shortening. Mix in water.

2.Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead by hand for 20 minutes. Cover dough with oil. Place dough in a bowl, cover, and proof for 1 hour.

3.Form rolls, and place on a greased baking tray. Proof for 45 minutes.

4.Bake at 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) for 12 to 14 minutes.


Southern Praline Pecan Cake
Ingredients
1 (18.25 ounce) package butter pecan cake mix
1 (16 ounce) container coconut pecan frosting
4 eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup water
1 cup chopped pecans

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a 9 or 10 inch Bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray.

2.Combine the cake mix with the frosting, eggs, oil, water and 1/2 of the pecan pieces. Mix until combined.

3.Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 of pecans in the prepared Bundt pan then pour in the cake batter.

4.Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.