southern food: seafood salad
This is another of my pescatarian recipes. It’s a great way to use leftover boiled shrimp and blue crabs. Actually, you can use any type of crabmeat in this recipe, but I think blue crabs are the tastiest of all the different varieties of crabs. In fact, I find that blue crabs are best in most of the crab recipes I make. That could just be because I’m from the South, and we can catch our own blue crabs.
Southern Seafood Salad recipe
Ingredients:
- ½ pound fresh or refrigerated crabmeat
- ½ pound boiled shrimp, peeled and deveined
- ¼ cup chopped Vidalia onion
- ¼ cup finely diced sweet red bell pepper
- 2 tablespoon chopped celery
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons bottled ranch dressing
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon Lawry’s garlic salt with parsley
- Lime juice
- Paprika
Instructions: Check crabmeat for any shell fragments. Place crabmeat in several layers of paper towels and remove as much “juice” as possible.
Place cooked shrimp in a bowl and chop. Add crabmeat, onion, red bell pepper, and celery.
In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, ranch dressing, hot sauce, chili powder, and garlic salt to make a dressing. Toss crab and shrimp with dressing.
Place a scoop of the seafood salad on a tomato or mixed greens and drizzle with a little lime juice and sprinkle with paprika.
Filed under American Recipes, Seafood and Fish Recipes, Southern food by on Jan 18th, 2012. Comment. 
spicy vegetarian soup recipe
All vegetarian recipes don’t have to be boring. In fact, I have several hearty soup recipes that don’t contain any type of flesh. The one I’m sharing with you today is an easy soup recipe that’s not only hearty and delicious, it’s also healthy and super easy to make. The beefy flavor and texture comes from Meal Starters, a product made by Morning Star. Its texture and flavor are very similar to hamburger meat that’s been browned and then broken up into crumbles.
Spicy vegetable soup recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 can cream of mushroom soup
- 1 soup can water
- 1 can tomato sauce
- 1 cup V-8 juice
- 12-ounce package Meal Starters
- 2 cans Veg-all, with liquid
- 1 can diced tomatoes, with juice
- 1 can whole kernel corn, with juice
- ½ cup rice
- 2 tablespoons Liquid Smoke
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Directions: In a large Dutch oven, melt butter and add chopped onion. Sauté onion until soft. Add cream of mushroom soup, water, tomato sauce, and V-8 juice. Stir briskly with a whisk. Turn burner to medium high. Add all remaining ingredients and stir.
Bring pot to a boil and boil for one minute. Place lid on Dutch oven and reduce heat to simmer. Cook for 25-30 minutes. Add more water, if needed.
Filed under American Recipes, Autumn and Halloween Recipes, Entree Recipes and Side Dishes by on Jan 15th, 2012. Comment.
Hoppin' John - one of the better-known Lowcountry recipes.
If you live in the United States, you’ve probably heard of Lowcountry recipes, although you might not be completely sure about what they are. Perhaps you’ve also seen the term presented as Low Country recipes. Lowcountry recipes are cooking techniques, ingredients, and traditions that originate in the Lowcountry. The Lowcountry is usually considered as the coastal area and small offshore islands of South Carolina, although many people also include the coast and sea islands of Georgia in the term. The name comes from the fact that this is a geographically low-lying area of flat plains, marshes, estuaries, and beaches.
Lowcountry cuisine has been strongly influenced by several different groups of people. Perhaps the most important came from the Gullah, African slaves who once worked the vast rice plantations. Other culinary influences came from the Caribbean, where slaves from Africa often spent time before entering the U.S. Huguenots from France also had an influence on Lowcountry cuisine. Of course, the foods available in the area helped to shape all these influences, creating a unique and wonderful cornucopia of Lowcountry recipes.
Obviously, the Lowcountry is rich in seafood. Lowcountry recipes often include finned fishes, crabs, shrimp, and oysters. As a nod to its history, the Lowcountry foods are also dominated by rice. Meat and fish dishes are often served over or with rice. Locally grown produce is important, also, including sweet potatoes, onions, bell peppers, greens, beans, legumes, squash, okra, tomatoes, and corn. The Gullah often raised their own pigs and chickens, so pork and poultry are important ingredients in Low Country recipes, too. You might also find Lowcountry recipes for cheap cuts of beef, including cow tongue, liver, and oxtail.
Some Lowcountry recipes that you might have heard of include shrimp and grits, Lowcountry boil, crab cakes, okra stew, hoppin’ John, roasted oysters, she-crab soup, braised oxtails, Frogmore stew, crab pie, Savannah red rice, Brunswick stew, rice pudding, purloo, fried cornbread, Huguenot torte, sweet potato pone, and seafood muddle.
If you get the chance to sample some Lowcountry recipes, by all means, take it! Even better, make your own, as I often do. My cooking heritage is rich in Lowcountry cuisine, as my grandmother, great-grandmother, great-great-grandmother, and great-great-great-grandmother all grew up in the Lowcountry. You’ll find several Gullah and Lowcountry recipes on this site, and more will be added.
Peach bourbon barbecue sauce is great on pork!
The best BBQ sauces, in my opinion, are made from southern recipes. Since barbecued pork is such a popular southern food, this isn’t surprising. The following BBQ sauce recipe is sweet and tangy, with a punch of good southern bourbon. For a spicier sauce, increase the amount of cayenne. You might also want to add some hot sauce to the recipe for extra heat.
We love this barbecue sauce on pork – loins, shoulders, pork chops, and ribs. It’s also great on chicken, fish, and shrimp.
Bourbon Peach BBQ Sauce recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 cup ketchup
- 1 cup peach butter
- 1/3 cup bourbon
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup yellow mustard
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 tablespoon Liquid Smoke
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon cayenne
- Salt, to taste
Instructions: Combine all ingredients and pour into a pot. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add water, as needed. Cool, cover, and store in fridge.
Filed under American Recipes, BBQ Cooking, Southern food by on Dec 30th, 2011. Comment.
Try this cocktail sauce recipe with steamed or boiled shrimp.
Delicious southern food extends far beyond fried chicken, and great southern recipes include lots more than biscuits and cornbread. The South also has fresh seafood, including shrimp, blue crabs, stone crabs, scallops, crawfish, clams, oysters, and finned fishes. Most of this seafood tastes great all by itself, but it’s often even better when served with a seafood sauce. For many folks, this means cocktail sauce.
We eat a lot of seafood at my house, and I make several different types of cocktail sauce. The cocktail sauce recipe I’m sharing with you here has a Georgia twist. Try it with shrimp cocktail, steamed blue crabs, oysters, grilled shrimp, crawfish, crab cakes, and stone crab claws.
Georgia Cocktail Sauce Recipe
Ingredients:
- ¾ cup ketchup
- ¼ cup chili sauce
- ¼ cup molasses
- 2 tablespoons grated Vidalia onion
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon grated horseradish
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Directions: Combine all ingredients. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Filed under American Recipes, Seafood and Fish Recipes, Southern food by on Dec 25th, 2011. Comment.
Reedy Creek Restaurant
Reedy Creek Restaurant is located in Wayne County, Georgia, about twenty miles from the county seat of Jesup. Dining here is a real southern food adventure! The restaurant is out in the middle of nowhere, on a dirt road. The unassuming eatery is comprised of old farm cabins that were joined together, and ancient farming implements adorn the walls.
Not only is the building fascinating, the food is awesome! Every time we’d dined at Reedy Creek Restaurant, the salad bar was fresh and appealing. My favorites from the bar include the pasta salad, the homemade soups, and the banana pudding. The entrees are wonderful, too, and my favorites are the ribeye and the quail.
Actually, one of my favorite aspects of the entire dining experience is the homemade bread. Yep, I’m a bread lover! The warm loaves are served with a delightful cheese spread. My family and I love this bread so much that we sometimes just order that and the spread to go. It’s even great warmed up or toasted the next day.
You’ll feel right at home at Reedy Creek, thanks to the friendly staff. The restaurant is open for dinner on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights. For a truly unique dining experience, this place is definitely worth a visit whenever you’re in South Georgia!
Filed under Restaurant Reviews by on Dec 22nd, 2011. Comment.
southern food - corn salad
I love corn and practically all corn recipes - especially when they're southern recipes. While hot dishes made with corn, like fried corn and corn casserole, are my favorites, I sometimes enjoy a cold corn salad. Corn salad is especially refreshing in the summer, but we actually eat it throughout the year. This corn salad includes southern food favorites like Vidalia onion, bell pepper, tomato, and hot peppers.
Southern Bean and Corn Salad recipe
Ingredients:
- 3 cups frozen corn, thawed and drained
- 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 2/3 cup diced fresh tomato
- 1/3 cup chopped Vidalia onion
- 1/3 cup diced green bell pepper
- 2 tablespoons diced pickled jalapeno pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped celery
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup oil
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon cayenne
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions: Combine corn, black beans, tomato, onion, bell pepper, pickled jalapeno peppers, celery, and lime juice. Toss gently.
Pour the vinegar in a small bowl and add brown sugar. Stir until sugar dissolves. Add oil, garlic, cayenne, salt, and black pepper. Whisk to combine and add to salad. Toss the vegetables with the dressing. Cover and chill in fridge. Before serving, toss once more.
Filed under Entree Recipes and Side Dishes, Southern food by on Dec 6th, 2011. Comment.
traditional Thanksgiving recipes
I’m sure most of my U.S. readers already know how to make traditional green bean casseroles. They’re extremely popular American recipes and are often served with Thanksgiving dinner. But those readers who live outside the U.S. might enjoy this recipe. I make my green bean casserole just a little different than most people do. I’m more generous with the fried onions and the mushroom soup. Also, I don’t generally use French-cut beans. Instead, I use kitchen-sliced green beans.
Green Bean Casserole recipe
What you’ll need:
- 3 cans sliced green beans
- 2 cans cream of mushroom soup
- 1 large can (6 ounces) French fried onions
Directions: Drain beans and place in a casserole dish. Add soup and half of fried onions. Mix well. Sprinkle remaining onions on top. Bake at 350 degrees for thirty minutes.
Filed under American Recipes, Entree Recipes and Side Dishes, Thanksgiving Recipes by on Oct 13th, 2011. Comment.
great southern food - BBQ sandwiches
As southern food aficionados, my family likes just about anything barbecued. And by barbecued, I mean either cooked on the grill or smoker, or cooked indoors with BBQ sauce. This recipe is for delicious barbecued beef. It’s easy to make because it’s cooked in a crock pot, so you set it and forget it. We often shred the beef just like we would with pulled pork, and use it for sandwiches.
Holle’s Easy BBQ Beef Sandwiches recipe
What you’ll need:
- 2 pounds all meat stew
- 1 tablespoon oil (optional)
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon Liquid Smoke
- 1 teaspoon cayenne
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 medium onion, diced
- ½ - 1 cup bottled BBQ sauce
- Buns or rolls
Directions: Rinse stew beef and pat dry. Place in crock pot. If beef is very lean, add olive oil. Combine beef with oil, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, Liquid Smoke, cayenne, cumin, and salt and pepper. With your hands, massage the seasonings into the meat.
Add diced onion and pour BBQ sauce over ingredients. The amount of sauce you use is a matter of taste.
Cover crock pot and cook on low for about eight hours. Stir ingredients. Shred beef with two forks and serve on buns or rolls.
Filed under American Recipes, BBQ Cooking, Southern food by on Oct 8th, 2011. Comment.
Thanksgiving recipes: sauteed vegetables
This is a tasty, attractive dish that will go well with your other Thanksgiving recipes. The colors are reminiscent of the fall foliage, with green, yellow, orange, and red. Sometimes I include the red bell pepper in the recipe, and sometimes I don’t. When those suckers are $4 each at the supermarket, I find that we can do without them.
Holle’s Fall Colors Vegetables
What you’ll need:
- 2 cups diced fresh carrots
- 1 pound tender green beans, left whole
- 2 cups frozen corn, thawed and drained well
- 1 cup frozen green peas, thawed
- Diced red bell pepper (optional)
- 1 teaspoon snipped parsley
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
Directions: Bring a medium pot of salted water to a full boil. Add diced carrots and boil for 2 minutes. Add green beans and boil for 2 more minutes.
Immediately plunge the veggies in an ice water bath. Leave in ice water for two minutes. Drain in colander and then on several layers of paper towels.
Add olive oil to a large skillet and heat over medium high. Add carrots, beans, corn, peas, parsley, and bell pepper. Cook for about three minutes, while stirring.
Combine lemon juice, sugar, butter, ginger, and garlic salt and pour over vegetables. Stir to coat.
Filed under American Recipes, Entree Recipes and Side Dishes, Thanksgiving Recipes by on Oct 3rd, 2011. Comment.
Recent Comments