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copzgirl
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I need food help
we have an intern who we all love and he just let us know that he really misses his Mom and her home cooking...she lives in Florida and he is up here for school.
I want to cook for him, she cooks what he called typical soul food...collard greens/neck bone, macaroni and cheese, corn bread etc...I have no idea where I should start. He just told me to make sure I have seven pots going and my windows open so everyone can be jealous, he was a lot of help 
He already told me that his mom won't share her recipes even if she had them..he thinks she just has them in her head any way.
Re: I need food help
dude, I make my cornbread from a mix. LOL
I know how to make some bad ass, down home style smothered pork chops but I'm SOL on the rest actually. I do make a good mac and cheese but it's not black folks style.
Click me, click me!
I swear he got all misty eyed when he talked about her cornbread. I asked if it was sweet or not and he said it was not sweet.
You need to get some smoked turkey for seasoning.
Collard greens: Big leaves of greens so cut out the middle stemlike thing of all of the greens. Roll them burrito style and cut them into 1- 1/2 inch pieces (does that make sense). Boil them once to remove gunk. Then cook them with the smoked turkey. To that I add some sauted onion and peppers.
Collard Greens from the Neely's
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paulas-home-cooking/ginas-collard-greens-recipe/index.html
I don't make Collards, I prefer turnips, and I include garlic and onion powder. Some folks like vinegar, but I don't care for it in my greens much.
I shortcut my cornbread. I use the Jiffy mix but sub buttermilk. Sounds like she makes hers from scratch. This is a recipe that sounds about right: http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1932,156168-230196,00.html Not too much sugar to make it sweet. Sub with buttermilk.
Candied yams would also be typical soul food. It requires lots of butter and sugar though. LOL
perfect sense....neck bones have me stumped and apparently all he does is eat he couldn't tell me what kind of bone..would I use neck bones in place of the smoked turkey?
Mac and cheese. For me the cheesier the better.
The easy but still delish recipe is as follows:
a block of cheese (medium) can't recall amount- shred
velvetta- use about half of the smaller block- cut into cubes for easier melting
pasta- one box of whatever shape floats your boat. elbow is the classic. boil noodles and put aside.
In a pot melt about a 1/2cup of milk add about 1/4 a stick of butter warm but NOT boiling add an egg (again don't boil the mixture) add salt and pepper to taste- and a heaping teaspoon of flour to thicken.
Next add your cheese and when it is all melted add noodles. Transfer the mac and chees into a baking dish sprinkle more cheese on top. Sprinkle with paprika and cook until it gets all bubbly.
Should be good.
I am not the best with amounts as my grandmother taught me all of the southern food prep and she never measured.
YES!! Ham hocks, he just confirmed it Nitaw...
also he just tossed out Fish and grits like I am running a damn restaurant here
he said the fish is tilapia
Because grannies never measure! LOL "Just taste and smell it baby."
I cook my dressing by smell and consistency. I can't begin to tell you how much chicken stock I use. I sent my BFF a picture of my dressing before I put it in the oven that said "This is what your consistency should look like." LOL
What type of macaroni and cheese? (some people like creamy, some like baked).
Here's my favorite baked mac & cheese. . . I LOVE it
1 1/2 cups uncooked macaroni noodles
4 Tablespoons butter
1 pound (16oz) extra sharp cheddar cheese (will need to shred, or buy shredded)
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 350
Cook macaroni until done, and drain. While still hot add butter and all but 1/2 cup cheese. Mix well. Beat 2 eggs and add to mix. Add milk, salt and pepper. Return to stove and cook stirring over medium heat for 3 minutes. Pour into greased dish and sprinkle with remaining cheese (1/2 cup that you reserved). Bake for 25-30 minutes
Ham hocks are what I was raised eating, smoked turkey is healthier so we use that. Since I don't actually eat the meat then it is fine as a seasoning.
Neck bones, I don't do. So no clue.
Yeah, my Nanny is like "does it look glossy then that is enough sugar"- I have yet to find that in any Sweet Potato pie recipe on the interwebs.
Copz - you know the bottom part of the chicken tamala pie recipe you posted? make that as cornbread - he'll love it. Maybe omit the chilis but I'd leave them in there.
I'd add sweet potato pie to the menu. With a graham cracker crust would be delicious.
my read shelf:
I was SICK that my Madea died before I had the good sense to ask for her Sweet Potato pie recipe. I tried making it from some dayum cook book, but that ish was a mess. I sat in the kitchen and sighed and thought, what am I doing wrong Madea? Then it dawned on me, you can't cook it by the directions, you just gotta taste it to get it right. LOL
I make sure T is in the kitchen with me cooking for holidays. She loves to help with the sweet potato pies. In fact she told me that once I retire, I can come work at her restaurant to make sweet potato pies. LMAO My BFF had a slice and was all, girl whose grandma made this. I said, I made it. She hit my arm and said "NO YOU DIDN'T!!!! SHUT UP!!!!" Madea would be proud. LOL
Nitaw- that is how I feel about so many things my Nanny made. I would give almost anything to be able to make her fried cornbread. She was the best! My Daddy (her son) is pretty awesome and he knows most of her recipes.
I don't really make Sweet Potato Pie because my DH loves it and he makes it for us- homemade pie crust and all.
Umm... HELLO! Post the starter recipe for us. Copz is a white northern trying to cook southern soul food. Geography alone is a HUGE hurtle for her.
I'm a big taste cook as well. My chili never tastes the same.
my read shelf:
Nitaw's Sweet Potato Pie
3 Large Sweet Potatoes
1 can of Eagle Brand Condensed Milk
1 Stick of Butter (melted)
3 eggs
1 cup of sugar (I start with a cup and add more to get it to the sweetness I want)
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon (more like dashes of cinnamon. I add more to get the taste I like)
Dash of allspice
2 Pillsbury pie crusts. (I haven't perfected a pie crust, so I cheat with Pillsbury)
dash of salt (DO NOT USE A LOT OF SALT!!! Just a little bit will do ya.)
Bake sweet potatoes in oven until soft. (Some folks boil them, I don't. I bake them because it's easier to peel the skin off. I hate peeling and chopping sweet potatoes. This is your lazy cook tip.)
Allow potatoes to cool and peel skin off. Place in bowl and mash them. You can beat them until smooth if you like. My pies are a thicker consistency than say a smooth sweet potato/pumpkin pie. Add butter and half of the condensed milk. Add eggs AFTER the condensed milk. You don't want to add them if the potatoes are still warm. Add sugar and remaining ingredients.
At this point, add more sugar and condensed milk, and cinnamon by taste. If you like it sweeter, keep adding until you get it to what you like.
Add mixture to pie shells.
Bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes.
Awesomeness...I have a pie shell in the freezer just waiting for something like this to come along...
my read shelf:
Sometimes. The key is to bake the sweet potatoes until they are really, really soft. We're talking like a 50 minute bake time. I turn the potatoes over in the oven to make sure they don't burn on one side.
Good luck! It took me a while to get it just right. Just be sure to taste it as you go and add whatever you think is missing.
In the South, Sweet Potato pie is the standard. Err'body and their mama makes sweet potato pie. LOL