Down Home Southern Goodness

Where do I begin? Today is Southern Cooking Day. Oh yeah, nothing says comfort like down home Southern Cooking. I don’t care where you hail from, there is something about finger licking goodness that resonates in all of us.

Couple Southern Goodness with Blonde Brownies and you’ve got the makings for one delicious meal complete with a warm dessert. Even a national restaurant chain such as Applebee’s has a signature Blonde Brownie dessert that is served in a skillet. Yeah, that just screams Southern through and through.

Have you ever wondered if you were born out of step from where you belong? I don’t believe in the notion of reincarnation or past lives, yet there are times when that feeling of a past that isn’t mine is overwhelming. And I have a theory about that.

We get so much from our parents as far as our physical appearance is concerned. Hair color, eye color, certain features all come from our parents, and their parents and so on back down the line. My nephew has eyes that reflect the splash of Chinese that was our grandmother. My son has blue eyes, the same as his father, my father and grandparents on both sides. (I have my mother’s dark brown eyes).

So here is my question and my theory – where are memories stored and can we inheriate those memories? Could that explain the sensation of past lives? Just a thought.

Granted, my love of down home cooking has a lot to do with my Okie Dad. He’s a big fan of cast iron cooking and keeping a jar of bacon drippings handy for just about everything that needs a splash of smoky flavor. But I also have a deep, unexplained love for the south – and aside from a weekend spent in El Paso, Texas and a few lay-overs in Dallas, the only other “southern” state I’ve ever been to is Florida, and that was to take a cruise. Yet I am drawn to the deep south in ways I cannot explain. There is a connection. Maybe it’s a repressed memory within my family line.

In celebration of Southern Cooking and National Blondie Days, I give you my oh so southern supper. Enjoy!

Down Home Southern Supper
Southern Chicken Fried Pork Chops
Creamy Pan Gravy
Simple Mashed Potatoes
Southern Skillet Bacon Green Beans

Yum to Blonde Desserts
Walnut Blondie with Maple Sauce

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Southern Chicken Fried Pork Chops
4 (4-oz.) boneless Pork Loin Chops
1/4 cup Flour
1/2 teaspoon Seasoned Salt
1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/4 teaspoon Barbecue Seasoning
3 tablespoons Milk
1/2 cup Dry Breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon Parsley Flakes
2 tablespoons Oil

To flatten each pork chop, place between 2 pieces of plastic wrap or waxed paper. Working from center, gently pound pork with flat side of meat mallet or rolling pin until about 1/4 inch thick; remove wrap. Sit pork chops aside until ready to fry.

In plate or pie tin, combine flour, seasoned salt, garlic powder and barbecue seasoning. Whisk to blend. In another plate or pie tin, add milk. In a third plate or pie tin, mix breadcrumbs with parsley flakes.

Warm oil in a skillet over medium heat. While the oil heats, dip each pork chop in flour mixture; then in milk. Coat well with breadcrumbs. Add pork chops to the skillet; cook about 6 minutes per side or until slightly pink in center.

Keep warm until ready to serve.

Creamy Pan Gravy
2 tablespoons Bacon Drippings
2 tablespoons Butter, chopped
3 tablespoons Flour
1 cup Beef Stock
2 cups Milk
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste

Note: If you don’t have bacon drippings, just double up on the butter.

If skillet is oily, drain oil without removing the brown bits left behind from the steaks. Add butter to the skillet and allow the butter to melt without browning. Sprinkle flour over the melted butter to make a roux, and cook for a few minutes on low heat. Do not allow roux to burn.

Increase heat to medium-low and slowly add beef stock followed by the milk, stir or whisk constantly until mixture comes to a boil and thickens. Lower heat and continue to cook for a few minutes longer, until the desired gravy consistency is reach. Season well with salt and pepper.

Transfer gravy to a bowl with a ladle or gravy boat. Serve to use as desired to use over the pork chops or mashed potatoes or both.

Simple Mashed Potatoes
3 lbs Russet Potatoes
1/4 cup Milk
4 tablespoons Butter
Kosher Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste

Peel potatoes, if desired. Cut into 1-inch cubes. Place potatoes in a large pot with just enough water to cover the potatoes. Sprinkle water with a little salt if desired.

Bring potatoes to a full boil. Lower heat to maintain a rolling boil without boiling over. Cook for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.

Drain well. Return potatoes to the pot, dry potatoes of excess moisture over low heat, about 2 minutes, shaking pan to keep potatoes from sticking.

Heat milk in the microwave or in a small pan. Add half of butter, one tablespoon at a time, blend until melted into the hot milk.  Set aside.

Using a masher, mash potatoes until smooth. Season with salt and pepper as desired.

Pour warm buttery milk over the potatoes. Whip until smooth.

Transfer mashed potatoes to a serving bowl. Top with remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Sprinkle with a little course pepper if desired. Serve immediately.

Southern Skillet Bacon Green Beans
16 oz Tiny Green Beans, thawed
1/2 Yellow Onion
2 Garlic Cloves
4 strips Bacon
Black Pepper to taste
Kosher Salt to taste
Red Pepper Flakes

Empty frozen green beans in a colander. Rinse under cold water the thaw. Let drain.

Dice onion, set aside. Mince garlic, set aside.

Cut bacon into small 1/2-inch pieces. Scatter chopped bacon into a large cast iron skillet; fry until crisp. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper towel to drain. Reserve the bacon grease.

Add onion to bacon grease and sauté until onion is translucent. Add minced garlic, and cook just until garlic blooms, about 30 seconds.

Add green beans, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Sauté until the beans are tender, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

Sprinkle green beans with crisped bacon and serve straight from the pan for a rustic, southern presentation.

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Now for Blonde Brownie Day, I give you a delicious recipe that has been shared on this very day before. But why mess with such perfection when it comes to a Blondie? Truth be told, it’s the Maple Sauce that makes this dessert to special.

Walnut Blondie with Maple Sauce
The Blondie
1 cup Flour
1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/8 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/8 teaspoon Salt
1/4 cup chopped Walnuts
1/3 cup Butter
1 cup packed Brown Sugar
1 Egg, beaten
1 tablespoon Vanilla Extract
1/2 cup White Chocolate Chips

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Sift the flour into a small bowl. Add baking powder, baking soda and salt to the already sifted flour. Then sift dry ingredients again into a larger bowl. Add chopped nuts and mix well. Set aside.

Melt butter, then pour into a second large bowl. Add brown sugar to melted butter and mix well. Lightly beat an egg, then add the egg along with the vanilla extract to the brown sugar mixture. Mix well.

Add flour mixture, a little at a time, until mixed well and moist. Fold in white chocolate chips.

Spread the dough into a 9-inch pan. Place in the heated oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Use a toothpick or fork to test if it is cooked in the center.

While the Blondie bakes, make the Mable Butter Sauce.

Maple Butter Sauce
3/4 cup Pure Maple Syrup
1/2 cup Butter
3/4 cup Brown Sugar
1/4 cup chopped Walnuts
Additional chopped Walnut, if desired

In a saucepan, add real maple syrup with the butter, cook over low heat until butter is melted. Once the butter has melted with the syrup, stir in brown sugar. Continue to stir, cooking over low heat, until the brown sugar has completely dissolved. Add walnuts. Keep the sauce warm until ready to serve.

Cut the Blondie while still warm into square. Serve topped with ice cream and Maple Butter Sauce. Sprinkle with more chopped walnuts, if desired.