Buttermilk Biscuits

Taking a Stroll Down Southern Lane: Buttermilk Biscuits

Buttermilk Biscuits

Could it be the magnolia trees that have recently unfurl its beauty? Perhaps its the exciting anticipation of the arrival of a “new” cookbook, The Taste of Country Cooking, originally published in 1976 by Edna Lewis. This play, Fences, by August Wilson brings nostalgic feelings for those Southern dishes. Remember those big breakfasts made in an instant from scratch? Those giant buttery biscuits. A trip down 95 South is in the plans. For old time sake, can we use a real map instead of MapQuest? Pack a picnic basket. Seal mason jars of pickled vegetables. Please hold the salt on the stinky and sweet cantaloupe. As the imagination runs wild with memories of running barefoot through fresh grass. And, a car whizzes by and a siren wails to wake up into a reality of the pavement to walk on toward hopeful progress. The memory of taste. Oh, the taste, can’t take that dream away. A dish of dreams shall come true strolling down southern lane. Read more

Stir Fry Bok Choy, Shrimp and Peanuts over Coconut Rice

Shrimp, Bok Choy and Peanuts over Coconut Rice
Shrimp, Bok Choy and Peanuts over Coconut Rice

Morning Glory, also known as Water Spinach or Swamp Cabbage, is a beautiful green that also blooms bright flowers. Don’t become too excited and start picking leaves from vines, unless horticulture is a profession. Besides, the plant of familiarity that wraps around building and fences is of another family, and it’s poisonous to eat. The Morning Glory for this recipe is different, for it’s a semi-aquatic plant, in which it is also known as a leaf vegetable–such as kale, cabbage, and collards. It easily grows around waterways and in tropical regions, thus it’s known primarily as a Southeast Asian ingredient, especially in Thai dishes. Read more

Going Bananas in a Few Simple Steps: Banana Bread

Banana Bread with Pecans
Banana Bread with Pecans

Writing this post is driving me bananas. Perhaps the one-bowl recipe is too simple to create a story around it. Instead of forcing creativity, this will be a short post. With this basic recipe using over ripe bananas rapidly turning black, “make it your own” by adding another nut, cranberries, or chocolate chips. Serve with a good cup of coffee or loose-leaf tea. Like this post, making the bread takes a few minutes, and it’ll be ready within an hour. Read more

Ethereal Pancakes

Pancakes Whipped from Thin Air

Ethereal Pancakes
Ethereal Pancakes

In the Southern states, the announcement of a snowstorm sends crowds to grocery stores stocking their fridge with milk and eggs. The following week, the snow is melting, the roads are increasingly accessible and the sidewalks are being de-iced. From a non-cook’s perspective of looking at a fridge full of milk and eggs, these pancakes will look as if they were whipped from thin air. This whipped eggy batter produces ethereal, airy pancakes that will melt in your mouth. Serve these with caramelized apples and toasted walnuts. Enjoy! Read more

2010 New Year’s Dinner for Two: Roast Chicken and Root Vegetables, Brazilian Collard Greens and Black-Eyed Peas over Brown Rice

Happy twenty-ten! My New Year’s meal was spent with good friends celebrating Kwanzaa while eating black-eyed peas mixed with couscous, collard greens, baked chicken, lasagna, and other delicious pot luck dishes. We started the evening by giving thanks to our ancestors (Ashay!) and honoring our community elder. Our hostess asked her guests to bring two pieces of fruit. We brought her a pineapple and a banana.

The next day, I slept in a few more extra hours and started making our New Year’s dinner: baked chicken with roasted root vegetables, black-eyed peas over brown rice, Brazilian collard greens, and a sparkling wine that was (…ahem) too sweet!

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