Southern Butter Beans

Fresh from the garden

2 cups fresh shelled butter beans

1 1/2 cups water

1  ounce of salt pork

1 tablespoon vegetable oil 

1/2 teaspoon salt

salt to taste

Carefully wash and pick over the beans.
Put the beans in a pot and cover with water.
Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
The beans will produce a lot of foam, skim foam off.
When the foaming stops add salt pork, oil and salt.
Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes or until tender.
Taste carefully for seasoning.
The amount of salt you will need to add will depend on how salty your seasoning meat was.  
Serve hot with cornbread and fresh sliced tomatoes

Sausage and Egg Breakfast Muffins

• 1 pound breakfast sausage
• 7 eggs
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Cook sausage until no longer pink, breaking into crumbles.
Drain and set aside.
Whisk 5 eggs in small bowl, scramble over low heat until soft curds form.  Set aside.
Mix together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in large bowl.
Mix together 2 eggs, milk and oil.
Mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients until just moistened.
Fold 2/3 cup cheese, sausage and scrambled eggs into batter.
Fill greased muffin cups 3/4 full.
Sprinkle remaining cheese on top of each muffin.
Bake in preheated 400 degree oven for 15 to 18 minutes, or until lightly brown.
Serve warm.

Tips:
Yield 18 muffins.
Make ahead, store in refrigerator.  Reheat in micro-wave 45 seconds.
Freeze cooled muffins in sealable freezer bags for longer storage.


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Perfect Baked Potato

• Idaho baking potato
• vegetable oil
• kosher salt
• salt and pepper
• butter
• sour cream

Scrub potato.
Prick with fork to allow steam to escape while baking.
Rub potato with oil.
Roll in salt.
Bake on oven rack at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until tender.
Immediately slit potato when you remove it from oven.
Cut a X in top.
Hold hot potato with towel and push in to fluff.
Season with salt and pepper
Add butter.
Serve with sour cream.

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Mayonnaise Muffins

Easy last minute quick bread.

 

 

 

• 1 cup self-rising flour
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup half and half or milk

Mix all ingredients together until smooth.
Grease a 6-cup muffin tin.
Spoon batter into muffin tin.
Bake in a preheated 425 degree oven for 12 minutes.

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Heirloom Tomato Salad

• 1 1/2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup vegetable or olive oil
• 3 pounds mixed heirloom tomatoes, halved if small or cut into wedges if medium or large

Mix together red-wine vinegar, salt, pepper and mustard.
Add oil slowly, whisking constantly until dressing is emulsified.
Add tomatoes and toss in dressing to coat.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.

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Tomato Jam

 A tangy condiment for crab or shrimp cakes. 

 

• 7 cups tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
• 1 1/2 cups rice wine vinegar
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 1/2 cup honey
• 2 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon canning salt
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper

 

 

Place all ingredients in saucepan and simmer about 45 minutes or until most of liquid has evaporated.

Ladle hot jam into prepared jars to 1/4 inch of top.

Top with two-piece lids.

Process 15 minutes in a boiling-water canner.

Makes six half-cup jars.

Printable Recipe

Tuna Stuffed Tomatoes

 

• 2 5-ounces cans solid white Albacore tuna, drained
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon simple syrup
• 2 tablespoons pickle relish
• 1/3 cup minced onions
• 4 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4 medium firm-ripe tomatoes
• paprika
• 2 hard-boiled eggs, halved
• 1 Granny Smith apples, sliced thinly
• crackers

 

Combine first 8 ingredients in a medium bowl.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Refrigerate for 1 hour to allow flavors to blend
Place tomato stem side down. Make 6 vertical cuts almost through tomato to form 6 petals.
Stuff at serving time.
Garnish with paprika, egg halves and apple slices.
Serve with crackers.

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