HARDY FAMILY EST. 1799
Down Home Cooking Hardy Family Recipes from the Heart of the Home THIRD EDITION
SOUTHERN CHARM Eating a good family meal is a favorite American past time. We all look forward to those special occasions when we gather for a family feast. We savor the tastes and smell of delicious dishes that family members bring which they have perfected. The best part of the meal, of course is when we over indulge ourselves in desserts. Every family brings one dessert and we have this huge dessert table with cakes, pies, cookies, banana pudding, etc. This cookbook captures the spirit of Family Feasts. It includes the old family recipes that our grandmothers, mothers and aunts prepare with that extra special touch. We pass the legacy of good meals from generation to generation. Many of these dishes are unique to southern soul food cuisine and are seldom prepared by young cooks today. Be adventurous and try fried corn, squash casserole, speckled butter
Contents Country Breakfast or Brunch 4 Amaretto French Toast 4 Blueberry Waffles
Home for the Holidays 7 Baked Ham 7 Candied Sweet Potatoes
Family Feasts 10 Jamaican Jerk Chicken 11 Rice and Peas Recipe 11 Steamed Cabbage with Butter
Sweet Tempting Desserts 13 Cashew Crunch Cookies
beans or oxtails. Recipes complied by Lillie Hardy Ferrell Cookbook designed by Falayn Ferrell
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DOWN HOME COOKING THIRD EDITION (PREVIEW)
Country Breakfast or Brunch Breakfast has changed since the limited options of bacon, eggs and grits or pancakes and waffles. Today, we have so many more options for a wonderful breakfast. Try crepes with delicious fresh fruit or whipped cream, get a taste of New Orleans with shrimp and grits, or visit France with our Amaretto French toast. Muffins are wonderful for a brunch spread paired with a fresh baked quiche! Nut breads are great for a continental breakfast for visiting guests with fresh fruit and a hot cup of coffee or tea. The best thing about Breakfast is that people like to eat it anytime of day or night because it is so satisfying! Why not surprise your family and friends by hosting a brunch with some of these recipes and they will love you for it!
RECIPE FOR A GREAT DAY A cup of very hot hellos A plate of nice crispy wishes A spoon of sweet smiles A slice of awesome success Mix it all up and have a Great Day
THE HARDY FAMILY
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Amaretto French Toast INGREDIENTS 6 (1-inch thick) French bread slices 4 large eggs ½ cup milk 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons almond liqueur (optional) 3 tablespoons butter or margarine Âź cup sliced almonds, toasted Powdered Sugar
PREPARATION Arrange bread slices in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Whisk together eggs, next 4 ingredients, and, if desired, liqueur; pour over bread. Let stand 5 minutes, turning once. Cover and chill 8 hours, if desired. Melt butter at 400 degrees in a 15 x 10 inch jellyroll pan; add French bread slices. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes; turn and bake 8 to 10 more minutes or until golden. Sprinkle with almonds and powdered sugar. Serve with maple syrup. Serving 3
Blueberry Waffles INGREDIENTS 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon Rumford Baking Powder* 2 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs 1/2 cup evaporated milk 1/4 cup peanut oil 2/3 cup blueberries
PREPARATION In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder and sugar. Blend well. Next add vanilla, eggs, milk and oil and blend well. Finally add blueberries and blend well. Pour batter into waffle. iron and cook. Makes 4 average size waffles. *Rumford does not contain aluminum.
SOUTHERN CHARM Toast a few walnuts or pecans in the oven for a couple of minutes and sprinkle on top of your Blueberry Waffle with a dollop of fresh whip cream before serving. The toasted nut flavor and extra crunch pairs perfectly with the fruitiness of the waffle.
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DOWN HOME COOKING THIRD EDITION (PREVIEW)
Strawberry Nut Bread Doraine’s Kitchen
A slice of strawberry nut bread on a quiet morning with a cup of tea is a great way to start your day. PREPARATION INGREDIENTS 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon 2 cups white sugar 2 cups sliced fresh Strawberries 4 eggs 1 1/4 cups vegetable oil 1 cup chopped walnuts
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease two 9x5 inch loaf pans. Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the center. Beat together the eggs and oil and pour them into the well. Stir just enough to moisten the ingredients. Fold in the strawberries and nuts. Pour mixture into prepared pans; fill containers no more than half full. Bake in a preheated oven for 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 20 to 30 minutes before removing from pans. Move to a rack to cool completely before slicing. THE HARDY FAMILY
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RECIPE FOR A HAPPY FAMILY Combine a family of loving hearts Melt together Add a lot of love Mix well with respect and trust Add gentleness, faith, and hope Pour in lots of understanding Sprinkle with laughter Add a dash of hugs Bake for a lifetime
Home for the Holidays Holidays are made for family Feasts. One of the wonderful thing about having a large family is that we have so much variety of foods to experience. Family Members develop their own special dish to bring to the meal. We knew that Aunt Evelyn made the best macaroni and cheese and now her daughter Wanda continues her tradition. We know that Uncle Frazier bakes the best turkey and Grandma Callie makes the best dressing to compliment it. Finally for dessert you can never leave until Aunt Gladys cakes melt in your mouth. We discovered that when Thanksgiving comes; many people grab this cookbook to make their holiday meals. Therefore, we have put these favorite holiday recipes together for your convenience. Last year my son cooked his first Thanksgiving meal and used all recipes with wonderful results. For Christmas our tradition is to make Roast Beef the center of the meal with garlic mashed potatoes and Pop’s Greek Salad. There are often other meats and sides but the Prime Rib or Roast Tenderloin is the main attraction.
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DOWN HOME COOKING THIRD EDITION (PREVIEW)
Baked Ham Grandma Callie’s Kitchen INGREDIENTS 5 to 6 pounds Smoked or Cured ham, Whole with bone in 6 to 8 cloves, whole
1 can pineapple, chunks (8 oz) 6 to 8 toothpicks
PREPARATION Take skin off ham and bring to boil in a large pot with enough water to cover it. Let stand for about one hour in water and pot. Remove ham and cut squares about 1/4 inch on top and stick whole cloves in the ham. Stick toothpicks in pineapple chucks and stick into ham. Pour pineapple juice in the bottom of baking pan with ham. Bake until brown in a 400 degree oven. Remove toothpicks and serve. Optional: Glaze the ham with 1 tablespoon of mustard and ¼ cup of brown sugar prior to baking.
Candied Sweet Potatoes Aunt Mamie’s Kitchen INGREDIENTS 3 sweet potatoes, peeled & sliced 1 ½ cups sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 2 lemons, slices
PREPARATION Peel and slice sweet potatoes. Place them in a pot on top of the stove. Cover them with sugar. Add vanilla, nutmeg and lemon. Cook over low heat until potatoes are tender and syrupy. If potatoes get tender before the syrup develops increase the heat to make syrup.
SOUTHERN CHARM
Do not add water to your sweet potatoes. The potatoes will make their own juice while cooking that will add a natural sweetness and flavor.
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Green Bean Almondine Lillie’s Kitchen
An easy and quick way to cook fresh green beans that most people love! Sometimes I just toast the almonds without the butter and just sprinkle them on top of the green beans. PREPARATION INGREDIENTS 1 lb fresh green beans 2 tablespoons sliced almonds 1 tablespoons butter or 2 tablespoons margarine 1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil 1 teaspoon lemon juice Salt
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Cook green beans in a skillet with 1 tablespoon of Olive oil over medium heart until crisp-tender. You may need add 2 tablespoons or water but normally the beans will provide their own liquid. Drain. Do not overcook the beans until they are too soft and soggy, you want them a little crisp. Cook almonds in butter over low heat, stirring occasionally, until golden. Combine the green beans, almonds and lemon juice and mix together.
DOWN HOME COOKING THIRD EDITION (PREVIEW)
Family Feasts Our Family Feasts are filled with wonderful delicious mouthwatering Comfort Food! These foods soothe our souls and remind us of childhood memories of the house full of aromas of home cooking. The smells, tastes and sights of a delicious plate of food is yummy to our tummy! We have homemade recipes of all of these foods, so that the next time you need a little comfort at the table you can use them Our family also loves sports so we can get together and make a big meal and enjoy a good football or basketball game. Many of the dishes such as the Lasagna, Red Beans & Rice, pulled turkey sandwiches or Jerked Chicken with Peas and Rice are great when family and friends get together to enjoy a game.
RECIPE FOR A HAPPY HOME 4 cups of Love 2 cups of Loyalty 3 cups of Forgiveness 1 cup of Friendship 5 Tablespoons of Hope 2 Tablespoons of Tenderness 4 quarts of Faith 1 barrel of Laughter Take love and loyalty, mix them thoroughly with faith. Blend it with Tenderness, kindness and understanding. Add hope and friendship, sprinkle abundantly with laughter. Bake it with sunshine. Serve generous helpings daily. THE HARDY FAMILY
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Jamaican Jerk Chicken Lillie’s Kitchen INGREDIENTS 2 chicken (boiler-fryer), cut up or mixed parts 1 dash Morton’s Natures Seasoning 1 dash onion salt 1 dash onion powder 1 dash dried onion flakes 1 dash paprika 1 dash garlic salt
1 dash garlic powder 1 dash Cajun seasoning 2 teaspoons vegetable oil 1/2 cup catsup 2 tablespoons Jamaican Boston Jerk Seasoning 1 tablespoon Jamaican Hot Sauce
PREPARATION Soak the chicken in 1/4-cup salt and water for at least 2 hours. The salt drains the blood from the chicken. Pierce the legs and breast with a sharp knife. Wash the chicken in clear water. Sprinkle Spices on chicken. Pour on catsup, jerk seasoning, hot sauce. Mix spices, sauce and chicken together with your hands (Be extremely careful not to touch your face with hands and wash hands carefully when mixing is done. Hot sauce is extremely potent and dangerous to eyes.). Add the vegetable oil to the chicken and continue to work the sauce in with your hands for at least 5 minutes, making sure you distribute the sauce evenly throughout the chicken. Place chicken flat in a baking pan skin with side up. Spread the remaining sauce evenly over the chicken. Bake in high oven at 425 degrees for 1 hour or more, turning chicken after the first 30 minutes. Place chicken under the broiler for another 30 minutes to brown the skin until crispy. Chicken should appear over cooked. Turn oven off and leave chicken in oven until it cools. Remove the sauce from the chicken before serving and or storing. Chicken left in sauce will be hotter. Optional: 6-8 Servings
SOUTHERN CHARM
Let’s visit the Caribbean with jerked chicken, peas and rice, cabbage and plantain. Take it up a notch and grill the chicken over the charcoal instead of baking. Add a little barbecue sauce to your marinade instead of catsup to bring out a sweet smoky flavor in your chicken. This jerk marinade tastes great on other types of meat as well. Try it with salmon on the grill and a side salad, or brush some marinade on your burgers for juicy yet spicy treat.
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DOWN HOME COOKING THIRD EDITION (PREVIEW)
Rice and Peas Recipe Lillie’s Kitchen This side dish is a great accompaniment to other Jamaican classics such as Jerk Chicken or a not so Jamaican, but quite tasty, Tequila Shrimp. INGREDIENTS 1 can of gungo peas (pigeon peas) 1 cup of coconut milk 2 cups of long grain rice 3 green onions, chopped with some of the green tops reserved for garnish
1 clove of garlic, crushed 3 sprigs of fresh thyme 1 scotch bonnet pepper pricked with a fork (or substitute habenero) 1 cup of Chicken Stock
PREPARATION If your beans are dried, wash them, soak overnight, then boil for 2 hours until soft. When the beans are tender, stir in coconut milk and the remaining ingredients. This is the part of the recipe where you can add your salt pork for added flavor. You can leave this out to keep this a vegetarian side as well though. Add water until it is a half an inch over the top of the rice. Cook over medium heat stirring once or twice until rice is well cooked. Serve with chopped green onion tops and sliced lime for garnish.
Steamed Cabbage with Butter INGREDIENTS 1 1/3 cup water 1 medium size cabbage head 1 medium size onion
2 tbsp. butter 1 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. pepper
PREPARATION In medium size skillet or saucepan combine butter and onion and sautĂŠ until it becomes soft. Then add cabbage (shredded with a knife) and water. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook over medium heat until tender, stirring occasionally. Do not overcook. You do not want the cabbage to be mushy.
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RECIPE FOR HAPPINESS 2 heaping cups of patience 1 heart, full of love 2 handfuls of generosity Plenty of faith 1 handful of understanding Dash of laughter Generous sprinkle of kindness Combine patience, love and generosity with understanding. Add a dash of laughter and sprinkle generously with kindness. Add plenty of faith and mix well. Spread over a period of a lifetime. Serve everyone you meet.
Sweet Tempting Desserts As a child I remember my Grandmother Ella Mae’s dining room cupboard being full of cakes during the holidays! There will be a Chocolate Cake, Coconut Cake, Jelly Cake and Pound Cakes. Then there would be the Sweet Potato Pie, Apple Pie or Blackberry Cobbler. This was truly a dessert buffet! I believe that is why when we get together for the Holidays, Family Game Nights, Crawfish Boils, Barbecues or any other occasion we always end up with several deserts spread out on the buffet. Everyone likes to bring a dessert to share which I believe honors the memory and spirit of our grandmother’s home.
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DOWN HOME COOKING THIRD EDITION (PREVIEW)
Cashew Crunch Cookies Lillie’s Kitchen Cashews are one of those nuts that often gets looked over when baking. Try this nutty crunchy cookie for a flavorful twist on snacking. INGREDIENTS 1 cup butter, or margarine 3/4 cup brown sugar, light firmly packed 1/2 cup sugar 1 egg 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 1/4 cups flour, all purpose 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar 1 1/2cups cashews, finely chopped
PREPARATION Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer; gradually add sugars, mixing well. Add egg and vanilla; beat well. Combine flour, soda, and cream of tartar; gradually add to creamed mixture, mixing after each addition. Stir in cashews. Drop dough by rounded teaspoon full on to a lightly greased cooking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned.
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HARDY FAMILY EST. 1799
The First Edition of Down Home Cooking that was printed in 1997 was a tremendous success! This book was a wonderful gift for brides that wanted to prepare home cook meals for their new husbands. Parents gave it as a gift to college students, who suddenly discovered they needed to know how to prepare a least “one home cooked” meal. It also was an excellent reference for experienced cooks who needed to add another “Special dish” to their repertoire. We then released the Second Edition after a high demand for more recipes and added our carrot soufflé and cranberry mold. Many of you still requested other recipes including: bread pudding, pecan pie, garlic mashed potatoes, etc. So the Hardy family has released the Third Edition with our favorite recipes from the first and second edition and additional requested recipes. Keep the Down Home Cooking tradition alive for the next generation! Your family members will love you for it! Our family hopes that you enjoy it and share one with another family member or friend. Bon Appetite!
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