Simple Southern Staples To Enjoy This Fall

Welcome to fall, y’all!

The Alabama climate doesn’t always cooperate with our wishes for fall weather, but we can sure bring the flavors into our kitchen no matter what. This month, I’m sharing good old comfort food — fried apples, old-fashioned limas and mac and cheese. Can you imagine all these on your table at once? What a feast that would be!

Whether they’re served on top of warm buttermilk biscuits, pancakes or waffles; in a bowl as a snack by themselves; or topped with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream, Southern Fried Apples are a serious treat for all apple-lovers. Some folks even serve fried apples along with pork chops.

For my recipe, tart and tangy apples are skillet-cooked in a mixture of real butter and brown sugar and are flavored with warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. The result is tender, luscious apples and a sweet, sticky caramel sauce that’s perfect when poured over nearly anything.

Limas go by many names in our area: butter beans, lima beans, dried lima beans, large limas, pocketbook beans, mule ears — the list goes on. Believe it or not, whether they’re green, speckled, white, cream-colored, dried or fresh, they’re all varieties of lima beans.

My recipe for cooking them is simple, straightforward and only calls for a handful of ingredients to yield limas your family will love to come home to.

I am also honored to share a recipe from another member of the Alabama Farmers Federation family, Dawn East. Dawn and her husband, John Bert, live in Cherokee County and raise cattle, hay and row crops. Something tells me Dawn is known for her comfort food. You better believe her Crock-Pot Macaroni and Cheese will not disappoint. This recipe originally ran in the January 2009 Neighbors.

Hopes for cool weather and warm hearts are on the menu this month. Join me in making sure we savor every bite and every moment!

Prep Time Cook Time Servings 5 mins 20 mins 6

Ingredients

4 Granny Smith apples 1/4 cup unsalted butter 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

Peel, core and thinly cut apples into about 1/4-inch slices.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add butter and melt. Add apples and cook about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add remaining ingredients. Stir to coat. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook apples until tender to your liking, stirring frequently.

Stacey Little is a foodie, recipe developer and cookbook author whose Southern Bite blog helps families put simple, down-to-earth food on the table while preserving Southern cooking for future generations. See more recipes at southernbite.com.

By Dawn East, Cherokee County Prep Time Cook Time Servings 15 mins 3 hrs 8

Ingredients

8 ounces elbow macaroni, cooked according to package directions and drained 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk 3/4 cup whole milk 1/4 cup melted butter 2 eggs, beaten 4 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided

Salt

White pepper 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine macaroni and next four ingredients. Add 3 cups cheddar cheese and salt and white pepper to taste. Mix well. Spoon into a 3-quart slow cooker coated with non-stick spray. Sprinkle with remaining cheddar and Parmesan cheeses. Cook on low 3 hours.

Southern Lima Beans (Butter Beans)

Servings 8 to 10

Ingredients

1 pound large dried lima beans, rinsed, being sure to remove foreign particles 1 large smoked ham hock 9 cups water 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Dutch Oven Instructions

Add beans to a large pot or Dutch oven. Add ham hock, water and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a low boil and cook about 20 minutes. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover tightly and cook 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until the beans are tender to your liking. Add water to keep beans just covered. Stir less frequently to allow beans to stay intact, or stir more often to create a thick, rich broth. Add pepper and additional salt to taste. If desired, remove the hock, shred the meat and return to the pot.

Slow Cooker Instructions

Place beans, ham hock, water, salt and pepper in a 6-quart slow cooker and cover. Cook on high 5 hours (or low 7 to 8 hours) or until the beans are tender to your liking. Stir well and adjust seasoning to your taste. If needed, add hot water to the beans to keep them covered as to not drop the temperature as they cook. If desired, remove the hock, shred the meat and return to the slow cooker.

Stacey’s Recipe Note

A smoked ham bone, smoked pork neck bones, smoked turkey wings or smoked sausage will also work. You’ll need about 1 pound.