My country roots is a showin'

[The Animal Farm]

I am a city girl at heart but my stomach is pure country. I grew up with a mama that believed everything was better breaded and the only proper amount to cook was enough to feed a horde. I'm sitting down to a giant bowl of bean soup and skillet cornbread, the eatin' don't get better than this.,,,so what is your favorite 'country' recipe? This would be things like breaded chops, slabs of spareribs, corn casserole.

I'll share some as soon as I polish off this brick of cornbread, melting with butter, little drizzle of honey...:p

[Chinmama]

I love cornbread! I like to eat it warm, crumbled up in a bowl of milk... :slurp: !

Here is my first contribution to your thread. It is Paula Deen's Boiled Peanuts recipe. When we moved to SC from TN 14 years ago, I had never heard of a boiled peanut. Now they are a weekend staple...lol.

Boiled Peanuts

2 to 3 pounds fresh green peanuts
1 1/2 cups salt

Put the peanuts and the salt in a large stockpot. Cover completely with water. Bring to a boil and simmer for at least 1 hour and up to 3 hours. To check whether they are done, pull 1 or 2 peanuts out of the pot and crack them open. When they are soft, they are done. If they are still slightly crunchy, they are not done yet, If they are not salty enough, leave them in the salted water and turn off the heat. When they are done, drain and serve immediately.

[Karin]

*slaps taf upside the head for starting this thread*...

bean soup and cornbread.. yummmmmmmmmmmmmmmyyyyyyyyyyyy
of course, there is nothing better to me than cornbread and homemade potato soup.. or pinto beans, or vegetable soup...
i think most recipes have already been posted for those though..
and of course, ann and HM shared the *southern breading* you must have for your chicken, pork chops, fried green maters, shrimp...
see?? i told ya you shouldnt have started this dang on thread..
i dont even follow recipes..:laugh: i guess being a southernbelle all my life, i just knew what went with what, how much to use..
i do get rave's for my homemade nana pudding and mac n cheese.. so guess i'm good for something..;)

[Chinmama]

I love pinto beans, onions and cornbread! Chris won't eat beans (or tomatoes, or anything green or anything still on the bone...) so I am limited to cooking what he will eat too. I love boiled cabbage, boiled potatoes, collard greens with ham hocks, fried chicken, biscuits and gravy, tomato sandwiches, rhubarb pie, etc. Basically a bunch of stuff Chris won't eat...lol. Now I am starving!

I always make banana pudding for my dad's birthday and our family reunions. Some people just can't make it. Banana pudding is a southern staple - for sure! I've never made mac n cheese. Wait, I take that back...I did and it was horrible! I tried a crock pot recipe I found and it was like soup. lol... You'll have to share your version. Do you put eggs in it? I LOVE it like that!

[The Animal Farm]

*thwaps Karin with a trout*

I cook by the pinch method too Karin but I can usually approximate for a newbie. Come on, you gotta share that mac n cheese recipe.

I learned to live off ramen noodles and mac in a box while I was in college. During one visit home, my momma was digging out the *crock* to bake the mac n cheese with bread crumb topping. I brilliantly told her she could save time by using Kraft. Without missing a beat she said 'Child, have you lost your d#mn mind? ' and tossed me a block of cheese and said start slicing. I've never opened a blue box since then.

[Chinmama]

During one visit home, my momma was digging out the *crock* to bake the mac n cheese with bread crumb topping.

Dang it you guys! Now I've got to go find some mac n cheese...lol. (and some corn bread!)

[equus_peduus]

All right people... maybe you all are from the South, but for those of us who've never even been but think some of those names of foods you're throwing around sound good... give us a recipe or two?

[Karin]

*offering ann my deepest sympathies* lmao
i can't believe chris can turn down those foods... omg, thats like... i dunno.. just WRONG.. you sure he isnt a yankee???
i love nana pudding.. that's just my fav dessert of all time... love that taste it has from the sour cream and cool whip..
ok, i'll share my mac n cheese.. it doesnt get much simpler..
oh, and cheese? the more, the better..
boil your mac noodles.. (can use any shape you like)
in a saucepan, pour a cup of milk to start.. (low heat)
add about 2 tblsp's of flour in with the milk.. keep stirring to make sure the flour gets mixed good..
turn off heat, stir in 2 beaten eggs..
when your noodles are done, drain.. add butter and smother that cheese in there.. (noodles good and hot, ooey gooey cheese..)
as you mix that cheese in with the noodles, stir in the milk mixture.. will prolly have to add more milk as you stir.. (you don't want it soupy, but it needs to be *wet*)
then i add even more cheese.. for a good size casserole dish, i use about two 8oz bags of shredded chedder..
always leave some for top!!~~ cook for about 30-45 minutes in a 350* oven..
i never use bread crumbs, my topping is always nice/melted/brown cheese..

[Chinmama]

A childhood favorite:

Monkey Bread

3 cans buttermilk biscuits (10 to a can)
1 cup sugar
2 t. cinnamon
1 stick butter
1 cup brown sugar

Cut biscuts into quarters. Drop pieces into a plastic bag with the sugar and cinnamon. Shake. Put biscuits in a well-greased tube pan. Melt butter and brown sugar. Drizzle over bread. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes.

[Chinmama]

Banana Pudding

vanilla wafers (I like a LOT, so I use two boxes)
bananas
1 large box Jello sugar free instant vanilla pudding
12 oz. cool whip
8 oz. sour cream
3 cups milk

Mix pudding and milk with mixer; add cool whip and sour cream. Beat to mix and let set overnight.

In a large dish, layer vanilla wafers and then bananas. Spoon half of pudding mixture on top and then repeat with another layer. I also crumble vanilla wafers on the top.