Southern Stewed Potatoes

If you were raised in the South, you grew up eating stewed potatoes at least a couple of times a month, if not every week. Served with cornbread and blackeyed peas, stewed potatoes were a real treat from any proper old Southerner’s childhood. And, to our friends up North, no, this is not a kind of potato soup.

Serves:8

Prep time:20 mins

Cook time:35 mins

Total time:55 mins

Ingredients:

6-8 large potatoes (peeled and cubed, about 1-inch cubes)

salt and pepper

2 tablespoons bacon grease (optional)

1 pinch onion flakes

2 tablespoons flour

A ½ cup of water

½ cup milk

3 tablespoons butter

Instructions:

Peel and cube the potatoes, put in a medium pot and fill with water until it's about 2 inches above potatoes.

Bring to a boil (you want the potatoes cooked to they are just fork tender, not falling apart.

After the potatoes are done, keep them in the same water you cooked them in and reduce to a low heat.

Put the flour and half cup of water in a bowl and blend with a whisk until the flour is dissolved.

Stirring constantly, but carefully, add the dissolved flour and water into the pot with the potatoes and water. Allow a few minutes to cook on simmer so that it can thicken.

Add more flour if you want it thicker, or more water if you want it thinner.

Add milk, salt, pepper, onion flakes and butter or bacon grease (if desired - it's fine without the bacon grease). Season to taste.

Old Fashioned Pancakes

makes 12 pancakes

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon white sugar

3 tablespoons butter, melted

1 egg

1 1/4 cups milk

cooking spray

Directions:

Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a large bowl.

Whisk in melted butter, egg, and milk until combined. Let batter rest for 5 minutes.

Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Spray with cooking spray. Pour batter into the hot skillet, about 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until bubbles, appear on the sides and center of each pancake. Flip and cook until golden, about 1 to 2 minutes.

Lemon Cake with Lemon Filling and Lemon Butter Frosting

Ingredients:

3 cups all purpose flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup butter

1 1/4 cups white sugar

4 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup milk

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

Instructions:

preheat oven to 360 degrees F – 170 degrees C – grease and flour two 7 inch round pans mix together the flour baking powder and salt set aside

in a large bowl cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy about 6 minutes beat in the eggs one at a time then stir in the vanilla beat in the flour mixture alternately with the milk mixing just until incorporated

pour batter into prepared pans bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean allow to cool in pans on wire racks for 15 minutes then invert onto wire racks to cool completely

to make filling- in medium saucepan mix together 1 tablespoon lemon zest 1/3 cup lemon juice and 1 tablespoon cornstarch until smooth mix in 5 tablespoons butter and 3/4 cup sugar and bring mixture to boil over medium heat boil for one minute stirring constantly in small bowl with a wire whisk beat egg yolks until smooth whisk in a small amount of the hot lemon mixture pour the egg mixture into the sauce pan beating the hot lemon mixture rapidly reduce heat to low cook stirring constantly 5 minutes or until thick – not to boil –pour mixture into medium bowl press plastic wrap onto surface to keep skin from forming as it cools cool to room temperature refrigerate 2 hours

to make frosting- in large bowl beat confectioners sugar 1/3 cup butter 3 tablespoons lemon juice and 1 teaspoon lemon zest until smooth beat in milk and increase speed and continue to beat until light and fluffy

to assemble- with long serrated knife split each cake layer in half horizontally making 5 layers place 1 layer cut side up on a serving plate spread with half of the lemon filling top with another layer and spread with 1/3 cup frosting add third layer and spread with remaining half of the lemon filling press on final cake layer and frost top and sides of cake with remaining frosting refrigerate cake until serving time.

OLD FASHIONED BANANA CREAM PIE

Ingredients

1 (9 inches) pie crusts, baked

3 cups whole milk

3⁄4 cup white sugar

1⁄3 cup all-purpose flour

1⁄4 teaspoon salt

3 egg yolks, slightly beaten

2 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 bananas

DIRECTIONS

Have baked 9-inch pie shell ready.

In a large saucepan, scald the milk.

In another saucepan, combine the sugar, flour, and salt; gradually stir in the scalded milk.

Over medium heat, stirring constantly, cook until thickened.

Cover and, stirring occasionally, cook for two minutes longer.

In a small bowl, have the 3 egg yolks, slightly beaten, ready; stir a small amount of the hot mixture into beaten yolks; when thoroughly combined, stir yolks into the hot mixture.

Cook for one minute longer, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat and blend in the butter and vanilla.

Let sit until lukewarm.

When ready to pour, slice bananas and scatter in pie shell; pour warm mixture over bananas.

If desired, make a meringue (you’ll have 3 leftover egg whites) to top the pie, or just let the pie cool until serving.