Perfect Corn Bread

This is our favorite corn bread recipe. It comes from my old Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. It can also be found in Uncle Bubba's Savannah Seafood cookbook.

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1 cup yellow cornmeal
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable shortening (can substitute 1/4 cup of applesauce to lower fat)

Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Add cornmeal. Add eggs, milk, and shortening. Beat just until smooth, about 1 minute. Do not overbeat. Pour into a greased 9x9x2 inch pan. Bake in 425 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes.

Mom's Shrimp Gumbo

I got this great recipe from my mother-in-law. We love it. Make a batch of rice to go with this, and of course, some cornbread.

1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup flour (sifted)
1 lb. shrimp, peeled, deveined, chopped in 1/2" pieces
3 cups okra (can be from frozen)
2 onions, chopped
2 T oil
1 14-oz can diced tomatoes
6 cups water
2 bay leaves
Garlic, to taste (I add 2 cloves , minced, with the onions and okra)
1 T salt
1 can crab meat

Begin by making a roux: In a skillet, heat oil; add flour, stirring constantly over medium heat with a whisk or fork until it gets to a nice caramel color. Watch carefully not to let it get too dark or it will burn and you'll have to start over. Adjust heat as necessary.

Make sure to pat dry the shrimp before cooking to avoid splattering. Add shrimp to the roux. Cook until the shrimp begin to turn pink. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a soup pot (Dutch oven), heat 2 T oil; add okra, onion, and garlic. Cook till tender. Add water, diced tomatoes, bay leaves, and salt. Stir and add roux and shrimp.

Cook on low heat for 15 minutes (at this point you could put it into a crock pot and heat on low all day till dinner and add the crab 15 minutes before serving.). Add crab meat. Simmer 15 more minutes. Serve in bowls over rice.

Coconut Crisps

This recipe was adapted from Marcia Adams' book, New Recipes from Quilt Country. A lovely cookie!

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. almond extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups flaked coconut
Additional sugar, for sprinkling

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. (The cookbook recommends 325 degrees, but I found that the lower temp. wasn't enough to bake them for the time specified.) In a mixer bowl, beat together the butter slightly and gradually add the sugar. Add the egg and extracts; combine. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt, then add to the egg mixture, combining thoroughly. Add the coconut and mix well.

Using a 1&1/2-inch cookie scoop or by heaping tablespoon, drop the dough onto a greased or parchment-covered baking sheet. Sprinkle each cookie with additional sugar, then using the bottom of a sugar-coated drinking glass, press the cookie lightly to about 3/8 inch thickness. (They will rise slightly during baking.) Bake for 12-15 minutes and do not allow them to brown. Remove to a rack to cool and store in a tightly covered tin or freeze.

Better Homes and Gardens Sponge Shortcake

This is my  favorite shortcake recipe which I got out of my faithful, old Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. There are two in the book: the regular one and a sponge cake version. I much prefer the sponge cake. And if you do whole wheat cooking, this recipe is even better with ww pastry flour and Sucanat in place of white sugar!

Sift together 1 cup sifted all-purpose flour (or ww pastry - add back the bran you sifted out), 1 teaspoon baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Beat 2 eggs till thick and lemon-colored about 3 minutes at high speed on mixer. Gradually add 1 cup sugar (or Sucanat), beating at medium speed 5 minutes.

By hand, quickly fold dry ingredients into egg mixture. Add 2 tablespoons butter to 1/2 cup hot milk. Stir into batter with 1 teaspoon vanilla. Blend well. Pour into paper-lined 8x8x2-inch baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Cool in pan 15 minutes; remove from pan. Top with sweetened fruit and whipped cream.

14 Karat Cake

2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1&1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1&1/2 cups oil (can substitute 1 cup applesauce for 1 cup of the oil)
2 cups carrots, grated
15 oz can crushed pineapple, drained and divided
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2.5 oz. sweetened, shredded coconut

Preheat oven to 350°. 

Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside. Beat eggs and add sugar. Stir in oil/applesauce, carrots, drained pineapple, walnuts and coconut. Add to dry ingredients and gently mix.

Pour into two ungreased 9" cake pans, or one ungreased 9x13" baking dish. (If substituting applesauce for most of the oil, grease the pans) Bake for 35-40 minutes for the 9" cake pans and 45-55 minutes for the 9x13" dish. Test center with a toothpick for doneness. It should come out clean.

Cool in pan(s) for 10 minutes, then turn out (if using the 9" pans) onto wire racks to cool completely. If using a 9x13" baking dish, leave in and frost the top.

Pineapple Cream Cheese Frosting

1 stick butter, softened
8 oz package cream cheese, softened
1 tsp vanilla
1 lb powdered sugar, sifted
Milk to thin
7 oz. crushed pineapple (optional)
Sweetened coconut flakes to sprinkle on top 

Cream together butter and cream cheese, and gradually add sifted powdered sugar. Beat 5 minutes on high. Add crushed pineapple (optional) and vanilla. If too thick, thin with milk to spreading consistency.  Frost cake, sprinkle with coconut and enjoy!

Blueberry Cream Cheese Pies

My grandmother made this pie recipe for her family for years and it was my late brother, Tim's favorite. He always asked her to make it for him. We love it, too. I found out she got it from her church's cookbook.

(Makes 2 pies - serves 12-16)

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese
1 pint heavy whipping cream
2 cups powdered sugar
1 can blueberry filling
1 cup pecans, ground
1 tsp. vanilla
2 unbaked pie crusts

Preheated oven to 400 degrees.

Sprinkle ground pecans evenly in both pie crusts and bake for 8 minutes. Remove and cool completely before filling. You're done with the oven.

Soften cream cheese and add powdered sugar. Add cream and beat briskly until soft peaks form. Add vanilla. Divide cream mixture evenly into pie crusts. Refrigerate for several hours. Spoon blueberry filling over tops of pies. Serve. Freezes well for several months.

Sweet Potato Casserole

Base:

3 lbs. sweet potatoes, peeled, boiled, mashed and mostly cooled
3 lg. eggs
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup butter, melted or softened
1/3 cup evaporated milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. allspice

Topping:

2 cups brown sugar
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups pecans, chopped
2/3 cup cold butter, cut into small pieces

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 9x13 inch pan. Set aside.

Base: Into the mashed and mostly cooled sweet potatoes add the eggs, sugar, butter, evaporated milk, vanilla, nutmeg and allspice. Blend thoroughly with an electric mixer. Spread into pan.

Topping: Mix together brown sugar, flour and chopped pecans. Mash in butter with a fork until texture is crumbly and butter is about pea-sized. Sprinkle over sweet potato mixture.

Bake at 350°F for 60-70 minutes.