SOUTHERN GIRL CORNBREAD

Preheat oven (and skillet) to 425°

2 eggs
2 cups buttermilk
2 cups cornmeal
1½ teaspoons salt (or a little less, I use Kosher salt)
1 teaspoon baking soda

Mix it all up (I typically mix the wet together first, then add in the dry), pour it into preheated skillet. Bake for 20 minutes.

CORNBREAD DRESSING

Cornbread (see recipe above) 1 pan or approx 8 cups, crumbled
1½-2 cups celery, diced
1½-2 cups onion, diced
2 eggs
1/3 cup buttermilk
¼ teaspoon baking soda
Chicken Stock to make total liquid 3-4 cups
salt, pepper, & poultry seasoning to taste

Sauté onions & celery in butter.  Add to crumbled cornbread.  Mix remaining ingredients in separate bowl (I use a giant measuring cup).  Pour liquid over cornbread mixture, gently toss together (DO NOT OVER MIX!).  Pour into greased (I use butter 😉 ) dish and bake at 350° for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

**this can be altered to be an ‘anynight dish’ by adding cooked chicken (I use shredded breast meat), just layer half of the final mixture to baking dish, put a nice layer of chicken, then remaining cornbread dressing mixture.  Bake as above.**

FRESH CRANBERRY SAUCE (from THE MARTHA STEWART COOKBOOK, 1995)

4 cups fresh cranberries
½ cup sugar
¼ cup water
Juice of 1 orange

Rinse the cranberries well and discard any that are soft or bruised.

In a large saucepan, combine the ingredients. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring often.  Reduce to a gentle boil and cook the berries, uncovered, just until they pop, about 10 minutes.  Chill and serve.

SWEET POTATO SOUFFLÉ

First Layer:
3 cups mashed sweet potatoes (bake them first!)
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 stick of softened butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ cup milk

mix together, place in a greased baking dish.

Topping: 
1 cup brown sugar1/3 cup flour
½ stick softened butter
1 cup chopped pecans

Mix these ingredients together and crumble over the sweet potato mixture.  Bake at 350° for 35-45 minutes.

**this can be put together the day before, refrigerated, and baked before serving.

CROCK POT GREENBEANS

Greenbeans (fresh or frozen)…if fresh, washed & ‘snapped’
Bacon (or salt pork…fat back, etc)
Salt & Pepper to taste

Render your pork product of choice in a frying pan (for a large crock pot, you’ll probably want to use 6ish slices of bacon).  Toss this into the bottom of your crock pot, add greenbeans on top, cover with water (make sure there’s plenty before you head to bed 😉 ).  Salt & Pepper to taste.  You can add garlic if you like.  Cook on the low setting for overnight.  Taste them in the morning to check for seasoning :). 

PECAN PIE

¼ cup butter
½ cup sugar
1 cup dark corn syrup
¼ teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 cup pecan HALVES *I think this make a difference vs. chopped pecans
1 pie crust…9 inch, unbaked

Cream butter, slowly add in sugar, then add corn syrup & salt…mix well.  Add eggs one at a time, blending between.  Mix in pecan halves.  Pour into crust…bake at 350° for 50 minutes, or until fork comes out clean in middle.  (Ya know…stick a fork in me…I’m done…LOL)