Makes 1 sandwich  •  About 20 minutes, and 15 of those are the tomatoes resting

The Sandwich

This is the one I make most often. Everything after it is “extra.”

Ingredients:

• 2 slices soft white sandwich bread (I like Pepperidge Farm Farmhouse Hearty White)
• Duke’s mayonnaise
• 1 large ripe tomato, at room temperature
• Fine sea salt
• Freshly cracked black pepper

Directions:

1. Slice and salt the tomato. Cut the tomato into slices a good half-inch thick. Thin slices get lost between the bread. Lay them on a rack set over a plate, salt both sides, and walk away for 15 minutes. The salt pulls out water that would otherwise end up in your bread, and what stays behind tastes more like tomato than it did before.
2. Blot. Press the slices gently with a paper towel. No need to squeeze them; you want them drained, not dry.
3. Mayonnaise, edge to edge. Spread Duke’s across both slices of bread, all the way into the crust. There is a reason beyond generosity. The fat forms a barrier that keeps the tomato juice from soaking straight through the bread.
4. Assemble and pepper. Stack the tomato slices on one piece of bread, crack black pepper over them, and close the sandwich. Cut it however you like it. It is best right away, while the bread is still dry underneath.

Liz’s Notes:

On the tomato. German Johnson and Cherokee Purple are good Carolina sandwich tomatoes—broad-shouldered, meaty, and not full of seeds and water. Any good heirloom from a roadside stand will do you right. What matters far more than the variety is that it never sees the inside of a refrigerator. Cold destroys the aroma compounds that make a tomato taste like a tomato, and it is not a change you can undo by letting it warm back up.

On the bread. Plain soft white sandwich bread is my preference, but to each their own. As much as I love sourdough, it’s too chewy, and can cause tomato slices to go sliding out when you bite into it if you’re not careful.

On the mayonnaise. Use the real thing, full-fat—nothing labeled light, reduced calorie, et cetera, unless that truly is your favorite for taste reasons. Duke’s carries more egg yolk than most and no added sugar, which is why it tastes tangy instead of sweet against a ripe tomato.

Ways Liz & I Have Been Known to Gild this Lily

Add Bacon. Natural uncured bacon, baked at 400 on a wire rack set over a foil-lined sheet pan. The rack earns its keep here: the strips stay flat instead of curling, so they lie down across the tomato instead of shoving everything out the sides on the first bite.

Add Sweet Onion. Vidalia if have one, sliced paper-thin, with a mandoline if you have one. This is the version that starts arguments at family reunions.

Pimento Cheese Instead of Mayonnaise. Homemade, with cheese grated off the block. Liz has a particular fondness for it, and pimento cheese is mayonnaise-adjacent anyway, so the sandwich hardly notices the substitution. Spread it a little thicker than you think you should.

Roasted Garlic Mayonnaise. Cut the top off a whole head of garlic, drizzle it with olive oil, wrap it in foil, and roast at 400°F until the cloves go soft and golden, about 40 minutes. Squeeze them out, mash them smooth, and stir them into Duke’s with a little lemon zest. Roasting turns garlic sweet and nutty instead of sharp, which is what lets you use a whole head without wrecking the tomato. Make it the day you plan to fire up the oven for something else.

The Half-and-Half. One slice fried green tomato, one slice ripe red. Crisp against soft, tart against sweet.

The Melt. A different animal entirely. Yes, it means turning on the broiler. Some things are worth it.

Ingredients:

• 2 slices soft white sandwich bread
• Duke’s mayonnaise, for both faces of both slices
• 3 to 4 strips natural uncured bacon, cooked crisp
• 1 large ripe tomato, sliced, salted, and drained
• 1 – 2 slices Tillamook sharp cheddar
• Freshly cracked black pepper

How to Build It:

1. Drain the tomatoes first. Half-inch slices, salted, 15 minutes on a rack, blotted dry. Draining is optional in the cold sandwich. Under a broiler it is not. An undrained tomato will flood the toast.
2. Mayonnaise both sides of the bread. Spread Duke’s on the outside faces and the inside faces both. Mayonnaise on the griddle side browns better than butter—it is oil and egg, with no milk solids to scorch, so it goes evenly golden at a lower temperature and never turns bitter on you. The mayonnaise on the inside does its usual job of sealing the bread against the tomato.
3. Grill the bread. Set a skillet or griddle over medium heat and toast both slices until deep golden, 2 to 3 minutes a side. Move them to a foil-lined sheet pan, grilled side down, so the crisp face is protected.
4. Build it open-face. Start with one slice of the bread, top with bacon first, tomato on top of the bacon, pepper, then the cheddar on top.
5. Broil. Slide the pan about 6 inches under a hot broiler for 60 to 90 seconds, until the cheese bubbles. Stay with it. Broilers vary, and I’ve burnt my share.
6. Top with remaining slice of bread and enjoy.

On the cheese…use sharp, not extra-sharp. Aged cheddars have a more broken-down protein structure and break into oil under direct heat. Tillamook sharp melts smooth.

Enjoy!

Ingredients for Pot Roast:

• 1 (5- to 6-lb.) boneless chuck roast
• ¼ c. Homemade Beef Rub (see below) or your favorite commercial rub
• ¼ c. all-purpose flour
• ⅓ c. olive oil
• 1 med. onion, sliced
• 3 ribs celery, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 4 Tbsp. minced garlic
• 2 cans Campbell’s beef consommé
• 1½ c. full-bodied red wine
• 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 Tbsp. tomato paste
• 2–3 sprigs fresh rosemary

Ingredients for Homemade Beef Rub:

• 1 Tbsp. kosher salt
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. celery salt
• 1 tsp. lemon peel powder (or finely grated dried lemon zest)
• 1 tsp. black pepper
• ½ tsp. white pepper
• ½ tsp. ground ginger
• ½ tsp. dried oregano
• ½ tsp. garlic powder
• ¼ tsp. citric acid (optional)

Directions for Homemade Beef Rub:

1. Whisk all ingredients together.
2. Store in an airtight container.

Note: This rub is inspired by the beloved Lysander’s Beef Rub, which I used for many years, but is no longer in production. The lemon-citrus brightness paired with ginger warmth and celery undertone is what made that rub so distinctive, and this blend attempts to capture that same character.

Directions for Pot Roast:

1. Preheat oven to 275°F.
2. Pat the chuck roast dry with paper towels. Mix the flour and beef rub together in a shallow dish. Coat the roast on all sides with the seasoned flour, pressing to adhere. Reserve any leftover seasoned flour.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Sear the roast until a deep golden-brown crust forms on all sides, about 5 minutes per side. Do not move the roast while it sears. Remove the roast to a plate and set aside.
4. Reduce heat to medium. Add the sliced onion and celery to the pot. Cook 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion begins to soften. Add the garlic and cook another 1–2 minutes, until fragrant.
5. Add the tomato paste and stir into the vegetables, cooking about 1 minute until it darkens slightly.
6. Pour in the red wine and use a wooden spoon or whisk to scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Let the wine simmer for 1–2 minutes.
7. Stir in the beef consommé and Worcestershire sauce. If you have leftover seasoned flour, whisk it in now to help thicken the gravy.
8. Return the roast to the pot, nestling it into the liquid. Lay the rosemary sprigs on top of the roast. The liquid should come about halfway up the sides of the meat.
9. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and bake at 275°F for 4½ to 5 hours, or until the meat is fork-tender and pulls apart easily. A natural gravy will form in the pot.
10. Remove rosemary sprigs. Serve in pieces or shred the meat, spooning the pot gravy over the top.

Cook’s Notes:

The seasoned flour coating builds a beautiful crust during searing that also thickens the gravy as it braises. Dredging before searing—rather than adding the flour after—gives you deeper, more developed flavor.

Use a full-bodied red wine, never cooking wine. Cooking wine contains added salt and preservatives that can leave a harsh, metallic note in the gravy. I have a particular fondness for Bordeauxs and Italian reds—use anything you’d enjoy drinking a glass of while you cook.

The lower oven temperature (275°F instead of 350°F) gives the connective tissue in the chuck roast more time to break down into gelatin, producing the melt-in-your-mouth texture without any risk of the outside drying out. The roast needs more time at this temperature, but the tenderness is worth it.

Deglazing the pot after searing is the secret step. All those dark, caramelized bits stuck to the bottom of the Dutch oven are pure concentrated beef flavor. The wine lifts them right into the braising liquid.

The Worcestershire sauce and tomato paste are small additions that add layers of umami depth without being identifiable in the finished dish. They’re the reason people will say they can’t quite figure out what makes this pot roast so good.

My family likes mashed potatoes and glazed carrots with their pot roast. The gravy from the pot is wonderful spooned over the mashed potatoes.

Enjoy!

Ham Ingredients:

• 1 whole country ham (approximately 10 – 12 lbs., give or take)
• 10 bay leaves
• 1 sweet onion, quartered
• 3 tbsp. whole black peppercorns
• 3 c. cider vinegar
• 24 whole cloves

Fig Glaze Ingredients:

• 1½ c. fig preserves
• ¾ c. Dijon mustard
• ¾ c. light brown sugar
• 4 tbsp. bourbon
• ¼ tsp. cayenne (adjust up or down to taste)
• ¼ tsp. fresh ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Scrub: wash the ham under running water and scrub with a stiff brush.
2. Soak: country ham is salt-cured and often dry-aged, so it needs to be soaked before cooking to leach out excess salt. Put the whole ham in a large stock pot, cooler, or other food-safe vessel. Cover with cold water and soak 24 hours, changing the water every 4 – 6 hours. (Note: Mamma starts hers at 9:00 am the day before she wants to serve it. She changes the water at 3:00 pm, 7:00 pm, and 11:00 pm. Right before she goes to bed. Then she switches it again first thing in the morning. Mamma does not sacrifice her beauty sleep, not even for country ham.)
3. Simmer: Place the ham in a large stockpot or roasting pan. Cover with fresh water. Add bay leaves, onion quarters, peppercorns, and vinegar. Bring to a gentle simmer (never a rolling boil, or the meat gets tough). Cook 20-25 minutes per pound (4-5 hours).
4. Remove the ham from the pot and let cool.
5. Preheat oven to 375.
6. Whisk together glaze ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, then remove from heat.
7. Remove outer skin from ham leaving a thin layer of fat.
8. Score the fat in a diamond pattern.
9. Place a whole clove in the center of each scored diamond.
10. Place ham on a rack in a roasting pan.
11. Brush generously with glaze.
12. Bake until fat is crisped, caramelized, and sticky, about 45 minutes to an hour, basting with glaze every 10 – 15 minutes.
13. Let ham rest on cutting board for 30 minutes.
14. Slice paper-thin across the grain and serve with Mamma’s biscuits and extra mustard or fig preserves.

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 36 oz. boneless, skinless, wild Alaskan salmon
• 3 tbsp. fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. black pepper
• ¼ c. minced celery
• ½ c. finely chopped onion
• 1 tbsp. dried dill
• 2 tbsp. dried chives
• 1 ½ c. crushed club crackers
• ½ c. flour
• ½ c. sour cream
• 2 eggs, whisked

Directions:

1. Drain salmon thoroughly and add to a large mixing bowl.
2. If necessary, pat dry liquids at the bottom of the bowl.
3. Sprinkle lemon juice, salt, and pepper over the salmon.
4. Stir to make sure all the salmon is seasoned, breaking up the chunks.
5. Add celery, onion, dill, and chives. Mix well.
6. Add club crackers, flour, sour cream, and egg. Mix well. Note: Different humidity levels and altitudes can make a difference in the consistence of the mixture. If it seems too moist to form patties, add more club crackers. If it seems too dry, add more sour cream.
7. Heat the largest cast iron skillet you have.
8. Add 2-3 tablespoons olive oil and a tablespoon of butter. If you like more fat in the pan, add some more.
9. When the oil mixture is hot, scoop out patties the size you like best and fill the pan. Mamma uses a soup spoon, and thinks it probably scoops out about a quarter cup.
10. Let the patties fry to a golden brown on the bottom before turning. Flip and fry the other side until crispy and golden brown. Check one on the outer edge with an insta-read thermometer to make sure they’re 165º.
11. Remove from pan and keep warm. Add more oil and butter if necessary and fry the next batch. Repeat until all the mixture is used. The number of batches will depend on the size of your pan.

Enjoy!

Dressing Ingredients:

• ½ c. avocado mayonnaise*
• ½ c. plain Greek yogurt **
• 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• Dash of Worcestershire sauce
• ½ tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. fresh ground black pepper

Salad Ingredients:

• 2 14 oz. cans chickpeas, drained
• 2 stalks celery, minced
• ¼ c. finely chopped red onion
• ¼ c. Wickles pickle relish
• ¼ c. chopped green onions

Directions:

1. Mix the dressing ingredients and set aside.
2. Mix the salad ingredients, then stir in enough dressing to get it slightly wetter than you think it should be. Refrigerate a few hours to let the flavors blend.
3. Serve on toasted multigrain or sourdough bread.

* Gavin likes Primal Kitchen, even though it is actual, real mayo and does have eggs. He forgets to tell Hadley this.

** Gavin uses Publix Greenwise non-fat. He could use plant-based, but he thinks this is a healthy choice.

Enjoy!

Black Bean Burger Ingredients:

• 2 14 oz. cans black beans, drained & rinsed
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 chopped bell pepper (green or red)
• 1/2 finely chopped yellow onion  
• 2 tsp. minced garlic
• 1 1/2 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1/4 tsp. paprika
• 1/2 c. panko bread crumbs
• 2 eggs beaten
• 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• Salt & pepper to taste

Sauce Ingredients:

• Mustard
• Ketchup
• Mayonnaise

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. After rinsing beans, pat dry.
3. Spread beans on a sheet pan and bake for 15 mins (this helps the beans from becoming too mushy), then cool.
4. While beans are baking, sauté pepper, onion and garlic in the olive oil until soft.
5. Once beans are removed from the oven and cooling, adjust oven temperature to 375 degrees.
6. In a large bowl, mash the cool beans leaving some larger pieces. Add cumin, chili powder, paprika, beaten eggs, panko bread crumbs, Worcestershire sauce, and salt & pepper.
7. Form patties and bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes on each side.
8. In a separate bowl, mix together mustard, ketchup, and mayonnaise.
9. Spread sauce on buns.
10. Garnish with burger toppings of your choice, and serve.

Ginger’s Note: Inspired by The Sullivan’s Island Supper Club, this recipe is my copy cat version of the black bean burger amontillado served at Poe’s Tavern on Sullivan’s Island. The name is derived from one of Edgar Allan Poe’s stories, The Cask of Amontillado.

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 8 oz. bow tie pasta
• 1 qt. of good beef broth plus 2 c., separated
• 4 tbsp. butter, divided
• 4 tbsp. minced garlic
• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1/2 tsp. salt (more or less to taste)
• 1/2 tsp. pepper (more or less to taste)
• 2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 8 oz. cream cheese
• 1 green pepper diced
• 1 sweet onion diced
• 8 oz. sliced baby bella mushrooms
• 1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
• Sliced provolone cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Put one quart of beef stock beef in a large pot and add an equal amount of water.
3. Cook pasta in stock and water according to package directions. When drained, stir in 2 tablespoons of butter, cover, and reserve.
4. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a large heavy cast iron skillet.
5. Cook and stir the peppers and onions for five minutes, then add mushrooms and garlic.
6. Meanwhile, in a separate pan, sear and brown ground beef.
7. Cook vegetables until water is mostly evaporated and vegetables are starting to caramelize just a bit.
8. Add beef to vegetable pan.
9. Combine and add salt and pepper and Worcestershire sauce.
10. Stir in the cream cheese until melted.
11. Stir in the remaining 2 cups beef broth, the noodles, and the shredded mozzarella.  
12. Top with sliced provolone and bake 25-30 minutes until cheese is melted and barely begins to brown on top.

Sarabeth doubles this recipe for her family to have leftovers, and quadruples it for potlucks and other large gatherings.

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 4 c. heavy cream
• 8 oz. (2 sticks) unsalted butter (I like Plugra)
• 4 c. grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• ⅛ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 2 lbs. fresh fettuccine
• 1 tbsp. sea salt

Directions:

1. In a large saucepan bring the cream and butter to a boil over medium-high heat.
2. Lower heat to a simmer and cook about a minute.
3. Gradually add half the grated cheese, whisking until smooth.
4. Remove from the heat and add the nutmeg and pepper. Taste before you add salt, then gradually add more, tasting as you go, until you have the desired amount of salt. It’s easy to get too much in combination with the parmesan cheese.
5. Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat.
6. Add the sea salt and fresh pasta and cook until it reaches the desired tenderness, about 3 minutes.
7. Drain well.
8. Add pasta to one or two large, warmed pasta bowls. Depending on bowl size, one may be enough but two may be necessary. I warm the bowls ahead of time with water from the tea kettle.
9. Pour on the sauce, sprinkle with the remaining cheese and toss well.
10. Serve immediately with additional cheese and black pepper.

This is a simple recipe. It’s all about the quality of the ingredients. I only make it for special occasions because it’s quite rich. When I do make it, I buy fresh pasta from a local shop and splurge on the cream, butter, and cheese. This recipe makes eight generous entrée servings or twelve first course servings. It can easily be halved for more intimate gatherings.

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 (4 to 5 lb.) whole chicken
  Note: If you prefer, you could use 3 lbs. of chicken breasts, but the purists will bless your heart. You can even skip straight to step two below by using Costco rotisserie chicken if you want to, but Eugenia worries about the sodium and the phosphorous in store-bought cooked chicken.
• 6 – 8 c. liquid, more or less depending on the bird, the pot, and the phase of the moon.
  Note: Historically, water is what was used. The results will be richer if you add some chicken broth or bone broth into the mix. The ratio is up to you, but if you’re using only chicken breasts, you’ll want to consider the bone broth. We’ll get precise with the liquid measurement later in the recipe.
• What you give the chicken (or, Aromatics / Seasonings for the broth)
  Note: If you’re using mostly pre-made broth for your liquid, you could cut back on some of these if you like. Eugenia believes making a good broth is an art and we should all express ourselves.
  • 3 stalks celery, roughly chopped
  • 1 large yellow onion, roughly chopped
  • 6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
  • 2 ½ tsp. salt (not iodized)
  • 2 tsp. ground black pepper (fresh ground is best)
  • 1 ½ tsp. paprika
  • ½ tsp. dried thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
• What you give the rice (or, vegetables, seasonings, et cetera for the rice)
  • 2 stalks celery, minced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced, more if you like
  • 1 ½ c. carrots, chopped small (Eugenia adds these. A lot of folks don’t. The purists likely bless Eugenia’s heart, but she is undaunted.)
  • 2 leeks, finely chopped, about ½ c. (This is Eugenia’s secret ingredient. See note above on the purists.)
  • ½ c. minced onion
• 
2 lb. smoked beef sausage
  Note: You can use Kielbasa or Andouille or any other sausage you like.
• ¼ c. unsalted butter (½ stick), divided by tablespoons
• 4 tbsp. olive oil
• ½ – 1 tsp. red pepper flakes to taste (this might vary depending on your sausage choice)
• 3 c. long grain white rice, rinsed
  Note: If you prefer to use a different type of rice, just be sure to adjust the liquid amount and cooking time if necessary. Also, the purists…
• 9 c. reserved broth (from step one below or cartons from the grocery store if the purists don’t bother you and you’re short on time)
• 1 large piece Parmesan cheese rind
• 2 – 3 oz. fresh grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice
• Chopped parsley or scallions

Directions:

1. Cook the chicken and make the broth.
2. Discard anything unsightly that came inside the chicken.
3. Put the chicken in a large pot.
4. Add broth / water mixture, roughly chopped celery, onion, and garlic, salt, pepper, paprika, thyme, and bay leaf.
5. Make sure you have enough liquid to just cover the chicken.
6. Cover the pot and bring to a simmer. Once it’s bubbly, reduce the heat to low and cook until the chicken is very tender. The legs and thighs should pull apart easily at this point. Be careful not to boil. That will make the chicken tough and dry, and nobody likes tough dry chicken. For a whole chicken, this step should take 2 ½ -3 hours. If you’re using the breast only, it should be about 25 minutes. Check one of the larger pieces to make sure it’s as done as you like it.
7. While the chicken is cooking, prep the remaining vegetables.
8. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside to cool.
9. Strain the broth through a fine mesh strainer, discarding all the vegetables, skin, bones, et cetera.
10. Taste the broth now, before it cools, and determine if you’re going to want more salt and / or black pepper.
11. When the chicken is cool enough, shred it. Discard skin, bones, anything unsightly.
12. Mince the celery, garlic, and onion.
13. Chop the carrots.
14. Rinse the leeks, then cut off the bottom root end. Remove the tough, darker green portion of the leaves, leaving only the pale green and white portion. Quarter these. Wash thoroughly, separating all the layers. Leeks are notorious for trapping dirt and sand between their layers.
15. Thinly slice the leek quarters.
16. Cut the sausage into bite-sized pieces.
17. Melt a tablespoon of the butter in a 12-inch cast iron skillet.
18. Brown the sausage in the skillet, about 7 – 10 minutes, adding the red pepper flakes a minute or two in.
19. Deglaze the pan with one cup of the reserved broth.
20. Remove the pan from the heat.
21. Add 3 tablespoons butter to a large pot or Dutch oven.
22. Add prepared celery, carrots, onion, and leeks.
23. Cook until vegetables start to brown, about 7- 9 minutes.
24. Add garlic and cook and stir about a minute.
25. Add olive oil and stir.
26. Add the rice, toasting in the pot until coated and golden, about 4 minutes. Add additional olive oil or butter if necessary to coat the rice.
27. Add remaining reserved broth and deglaze.
28. Add the sausage to the Dutch oven, scraping the pan well.
29. Add additional salt and black pepper if needed, to taste.
30. Add the Parmesan rind to the pot.
31. Bring to a boil then cover. Reduce heat to low / medium-low to gently simmer.
32. Cook until rice is tender, 18 – 20 minutes. This may vary depending on the specific rice used.
33. Remove rind, stir in chicken.
34. Cover, remove from heat, and let rest for 10 minutes.
35. As you serve, sprinkle with lemon juice, top with parmesan cheese and scallions.

Enjoy!

Enchilada Ingredients:

• 12 large whole wheat or corn tortillas (corn are harder to work with)
• 1 batch Bean Filling (see below) 
• 1 batch Cashew Cheez (see below)
• 1 batch Fajita Vegetables (see below)
• 1 batch Gavin’s Olé Mole Sauce to taste
• 1 jar Vegan Valley Queso
• 1 can Hatch Green Enchilada sauce, warmed
• Vegan Sour Cream
• Fresh Pico de Gallo
• Chopped cilantro
• Chopped green onions

Bean Filling Ingredients:

• 2 cans Black beans, drained
• 1 c. Frozen fire roasted corn, thawed
• 1/2 c. Vegan sour cream
• 1/2 c. Picante
• 1/4 c. Chopped cilantro
• 1 tbsp. Lime juice
• 2 tsp. Canned chipotle pepper in adobo sauce (more or less to taste)
• 1-2 Garlic cloves
• 1 tsp. Salt
• 1/2 tsp. Black pepper

Cashew Cheez Ingredients:

• 3 c. Raw cashews
• 4 c. (approximately – doesn’t have to be exact) Boiling water
• 2 1/2 tbsp. Lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp. Garlic powder
• 1 1/2 tsp. Salt
• 1/2 tsp. Fresh ground black pepper
• 1/2 – 3/4 c. Water

Fajita Vegetable Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp. Olive oil
• 2 large Red peppers sliced
• 1 large Red onion thinly sliced
• 1 medium Zucchini sliced into half moons
• 1/2 tsp. Dried Mexican oregano
• Salt to taste
• Black pepper to taste

Olé Mole Sauce Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp. Oil
• 2 c. Diced yellow onion
• 1/4 c. Chili powder
• 1 tsp. Ancho chili powder
• 1/8 – 1/2 tsp. Chipotle powder, depending on spice preference*
• 2 tsp. Mexican oregano
• 1 tsp. Garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. Ground cumin
• 1 tsp. Cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp. Cloves
• 2 oz. Mexican chocolate, chopped coarse
• 4 cloves Garlic, minced
• 4 c. Low sodium vegetable broth
• 3/4 c. Tomato paste Muir Glen organic or Cento (one small can)
• 1/2 c. Almond butter
• 1/4 c. Maple syrup
• 1/4 c. Raisins
• 2 tbsp. Toasted sesame seeds
• 1 tsp. salt
• Additional salt and black pepper to taste

* 1/2 tsp of chipotle powder makes it pretty spicy—I wouldn’t want it any spicier, personally. Some family members would like it better with less.

Olé Mole Sauce Directions:
1. Gather ingredients.
2. Measure the spices into a small bowl.
3. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
4. Add onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, 5-7 minutes.
5. Add chili powders, Mexican oregano, garlic powder, cumin, cinnamon, cloves, and Mexican chocolate. Cook and stir until everything is evenly mixed and chocolate is bubbly.
6. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1-2 more minutes, stirring occasionally.
7. Stir in broth, tomato paste, maple syrup, raisins, almond butter, sesame seeds, and the 1 teaspoon of salt and bring to simmer.
8. Reduce heat to medium and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes.
9. Transfer to a blender, and process until very smooth, about 1 minute. Depending on the size of your blender, you may need to do this in batches.
10. Return fully blended sauce to pan and return to simmer.
11. Reduce heat to medium-low. Taste, and season the sauce with more salt, pepper, and maple syrup to taste.
12. Simmer until thickened to desired consistency.
13. Use immediately, or ideally, cool and refrigerate 24 hours in sealed container to let flavors marry.

Bean Filling Directions:
1. Mash beans with a pastry blender or potato masher.
2. Stir in all other bean filling ingredients until incorporated.
3. Set aside Bean Filling.

Cashew Cheez Directions:
1. Soak cashews in boiling water for an hour. Drain completely and discard water.
2. Pulse cashews, lemon juice, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a high-speed blender until the nuts are chopped.
3. Blend and gradually add water until desired spreadable but thick consistency is reached.
4. Set aside Cheez.

Fajita Vegetable Directions:
1. Heat oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
2. Add veggies.
3. Add salt, pepper, and oregano as veggies cook, stirring occasionally until crisp but tender, about 5-6 minutes.

Enchilada Directions:
1. Make the mole sauce the day before and refrigerate.
2. Make the three fillings: Bean, Cashew Chez, and Fajita Veggies.
3. Preheat the oven to 400.
4. Warm the tortillas slightly to make them easier to work with.
5. Spray 2 13×9 casserole dishes lightly with olive oil.
6. Cover the bottom of the dishes with mole sauce.
7. Assemble the enchiladas:
Spread each tortilla with about 1/4 c. Cashew Cheez, 1/3 c. Bean Filling, and some Fajita Veggies.
Roll tightly and place, seam-side down in prepared dish.
Note: We can only get six enchiladas in a dish without overcrowding.
8. Pour mole sauce over the top. Some folks like me like a lot of sauce. To others, less is better. It’s up to you.
9. Bake 30 – 45 minutes or until the temperature in the middle reaches 160 degrees.
10. Remove from oven and let sit for 5 – 10 minutes.
11. Plate two enchiladas each and top with warmed queso, warmed Hatch enchilada sauce, and your choice of vegan sour cream, Pico de Gallo, green onions, and extra cilantro.

Ingredients:

• 3 – 4 minced leeks (only white and pale green part)
• 1 medium minced onion
• 3 – 4 minced shallots
• 3 – 4 stalks minced celery
• 1 stick of butter
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 7 – 8 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 4 quarts good chicken stock (The author uses half bone broth)
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 package Costco shredded rotisserie chicken breast (2 pounds, 10 ounces)
• Either 2 packages of Anne’s Old Fashioned frozen flat dumplings or Sour Cream & Chive drop Drop Dumplings (recipe below)

Directions:

1. Melt butter in 8 quart dutch oven.
2. Cook vegetables in butter uncovered for about 5 minutes, cover and let cook for about 5 more minutes.
3. Continue cooking until vegetables are soft and water has cooked off.
4. Add flour, salt, and pepper.
5. Stir and cook until flour starts to turn golden, adding more butter if necessary. Mixture should be thick but not too thick to stir.
6. Add broth and bring to a boil.
7. Add dumplings, cover, and cook according to package directions.
8. Meanwhile, heat chicken in a casserole dish.
9. To serve, use tongs to put desired amount of chicken in a bowl.
10. Top with dumplings and broth.

Sour Cream & Chive Drop Dumplings Ingredients:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• Dried chives
• 6 tablespoons butter (melted and cooled slightly)
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup half & half or heavy cream

Sour Cream & Chive Drop Dumplings Directions:

1. Mix together dry ingredients.
2. Stir in chives.
3. Add butter, sour cream, and half & half.
4. Mix only until combined.
5. Drop rounded spoonful into simmering broth.
6. Cook 10 minutes.
7. Cover and cook 15 minutes without lifting lid.

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds yellow squash, sliced
• 1 zucchini, sliced
• ½ cup shredded carrots
• 1 cup green onions, sliced
• 2 ounces diced pimentos
• 1 stick of butter
• ½ cup sour cream
• ½ cup Duke’s mayonnaise
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack and Colby cheese blend
• 4 slices of American cheese
• 1 egg
• 1 sleeve of saltines, crushed
• Salt and pepper to taste
• French’s fried onion rings for topping

Directions:

1. Place squash, zucchini, and carrots in a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat until tender.
2. Remove from heat.
3. Place in a colander and let drain while making sauce. Drain very well and transfer to a bowl or the original saucepan.
4. Melt butter in a skillet.
5. Add onion and cook until tender.
6. Add mushroom soup, cheeses, sour cream, and mayonnaise.
7. Cook over low heat until well blended and smooth.
8. Beat egg and add to squash mixture.
9. Stir in pimento.
10. Add to sauce and blend everything well.
11. Add salt and pepper to taste.
12. Stir in crushed saltines.
13. Pour into a lightly greased casserole dish, top with French’s onion rings and bake at 350° about 40 minutes, until bubbly and top is golden brown.

This recipe makes 8 to 10 servings.

The Grits Ingredients:

• 8 cups chicken bone broth
• 1 cup club soda
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 2 cups stone ground yellow grits* (I use Anson Mills if I can get them)
• 1 cup Gruyère cheese, grated
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Pepper to taste

*If you’re new to grits, please don’t use any product that has the words “instant” or “quick” anywhere on the label. Look for stone ground grits.

The Grits Directions:

1. Bring bone broth to a boil in a heavy saucepan.
2. Whisk in grits and bring to a simmer.
3. Lower heat to lowest possible setting and cover the pan.
4. Cook, uncovering and whisking every ten minutes for about an hour, or until grits are thick.
5. Whisk in club soda.
6. Whisk in cream.
7. Whisk in salt.
8. Continue cooking uncovered until grits are soft, creamy, and tender. The thickness should be such that a heaping spoonful holds its shape on the spoon without running off the sides.
9. When the grits reach desired consistency, stir in cheese, butter, and pepper.
10. Taste the grits and add more salt if you like.

If you’re new to grits, please don’t use any product that has the words “instant” or “quick” anywhere on the label. Look for stone ground grits.

Grit Cakes Directions:

1. Pour grits into loaf pan, cover.
2. Refrigerate overnight.
3. Slice into cakes.
4. Fry in butter.

Greechie Fries Directions:

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Pour grits onto pan, cover.
3. Refrigerate overnight.
4. Using a knife or pizza cutter, cut into 1” “fries”.
5. Keep them cold until you’re ready to fry them.
6. Heat Canola oil to 350 degrees in a cast iron Dutch oven.
7. Fry Geechie fries a few at time, 4-5 minutes until brown and crisp.
8. Drain on paper towels.

The Shrimp Ingredients:

• 2 pounds large white shrimp (26/30 count), peeled and deveined, with tails on. If you can get fresh shrimp, that’s ideal. If not, thaw frozen shrimp overnight according to package directions.
• 1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 pound bacon
• 8 ounces country ham, diced
• 1 stalk minced celery
• 3 minced shallots
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 chopped red pepper
• Salt and pepper
• Smoked paprika
• Cayenne pepper
• 1/2 cup flour
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup whipping cream
• Chopped green onions

The Shrimp Directions:

1. Fry bacon in a 12 inch cast iron skillet.
2. Leave enough grease in pan to cover bottom, reserve remainder of grease.
3. Set bacon aside.
4. Fry shrimp in bacon grease.
5. Remove shrimp and set aside.
6. Pour grease from pan into a measuring cup and add reserved grease.
7. If you have less than half a cup of grease, add butter to make up the difference; return to pan.
8. Add celery, shallots, garlic, red pepper, and ham to the pan.
9. Sauté until ham starts to caramelize and vegetables are tender.
10. Add salt, pepper, paprika, and cayenne pepper.
11. Sprinkle flour over vegetable and ham mixture.
12. Stir and cook 3-5 minutes. Mixture will be quite stiff. Add a bit of butter if you have to.
13. Whisk in chicken stock and whipping cream.
14. Cook, whisking frequently until gravy is thick and rich.
15. Taste. Add additional salt or pepper if desired.
16. Spoon grits into serving bowls or place Geechie Fries or Grit Cakes onto plate.
17. Top grits with shrimp.
18. Ladle gravy over shrimp.
19. Crumble one piece of reserved bacon over gravy in each bowl/plate.
20. Top with green onions.
21. Serve immediately.