Beans, Potatoes, Slaw and Cornbread

 

I am sharing four recipes with you today – none are very complicated but they are a hard core Traditional Southern Supper that is served with Chow Chow in the winter and in the summer would be served with a platter full of onion, tomato, and cucumber slices.  It makes my mouth water just thinking about last week’s supper.  Before I share these old family recipes with you  – let me tell you a bit about its history in our family.

 

This was my Nana’s favorite meal.  It is my Mother’s favorite meal.  I certainly enjoy it every once in a while but you could have blown me over with a feather when Top Girl asked me last week to use the Easter ham bone to make Nana’s favorite meal for supper.  It’s been raining pretty much non-stop all month and fairly chilly most evenings.  Top Girl, who never likes beans in the past, has developed a taste for them in the last few years.  I readily agreed to make the meal even calling mom to ask if she wanted me to make enough for her – why yes, she did!  So – one morning I got up early and soaked the dry pinto beans for an hour or so and then started putting together the night’s meal.

First let’s do the beans.

Ingredient:

1 bag of dry pinto beans, soaked for an hour in cold water with all the rocks picked out.

1 leftover Ham Bone or just pieces of ham is fine

Salt and Pepper to Taste

Directions:

Rinse the beans one time after soaking.

Put beans and ham bone in Dutch oven and cover with cold water.

Bring to a boil then turn to a low simmer, salt and pepper to taste – and I always add about 2 teaspoons of cumin and 2 teaspoons of ground cayenne pepper but that’s just me, you don’t have to do that.

Simmer for a few hours, letting water reduce down but never get below the beans.  Should be ready to eat in 2 hours or so.

Now let’s make the slaw because it’s better after you let it sit an hour or two.

½ a medium head of cabbage

½ a red onion

1 carrot

Directions:

Using a box grater, grate all these items and mix together

 

Ingredients for dressing:

2 Tablespoons mayo, although you could use plain yogurt

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon sugar

Salt and pepper to taste

 

Directions:

Mix together and mix into salad then refrigerate for at least an hour

 

For the cornbread:

 

3 Cups All-Purpose Flour

1 Cup Yellow Cornmeal

2 Tablespoons baking powder

2 Tablespoons white sugar

2 teaspoons salt

1 Cup Milk

1 Cup Buttermilk

1 Cup butter, melted

4 eggs, beaten slightly

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F

I use an iron skillet but you could use a 9 x 13 pan, grease the bottom and sides then set in oven to heat up.

Mix together the dry ingredients

Mix together the wet ingredients

Pour the wet into the dry and mix until just combined then put into the hot skillet or pan and put into the oven for about 45 minutes.  Start checking at 30 – when a toothpick comes out of the middle dry, then it’s done.

 

Finally, let’s make the fried potatoes.

4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks.

½ an onion, chopped finely

About 1 cup of oil

Salt and pepper to taste

 

Directions:

Rinse the potatoes in cold water several times – I use a big colander and my spray hose on the sink.

Lay out on paper towels and put some more on top dabbing them dry.

Again, I use an iron skillet but any skillet will do.  Put the oil in and let the oil begin to warm up on medium high heat.

Carefully put the potato chunks in the oil and spread them around with a spatula.

Sprinkle the onions on top then salt and pepper.

Now, here’s where you need to make a choice – do you want tender potatoes with crispies on some or do you want crispy all over on the outside.  If you want tender with crispies like me, then put a lid on the skillet and leave it on for about 8 minutes.  This will steam the potatoes a bit.  If you want them crispy all over – just leave the lid off.

Turn the potatoes with a spatula – see those little brown crispies on the potatoes?  YUM!

Keep watching and turn the potatoes until they are done (check them with a fork).

Lift them out with your turner and put on a platter that has paper towels on it so they will drain.

Plate it all up and eat like you haven’t eaten in a week!  Enjoy!!