Have you ever been just minding your own business while singing along to a song on the radio and suddenly a light comes on? Something you never realized is suddenly so obvious.
It was a chilly Saturday morning as Hubby and I donned our Cowboy Hats and Cowboy Boots. Just a stone’s throw down the road was the little town of Hughson. The last weekend in April every year Hughson holds their Fruit and Nut Festival. What can I say, we live in a very rural part of central California. What isn’t cow or dairy lands are orchards, vineyards and farming country. We so enjoy these tiny festivals. So much so that many of the regular vendors have gotten to know us and we them.
Anyway, after a morning spent visiting with old friends, listening to some Big Band Music and finding a new piece of art for the living room wall, Hubby and I were cruising back home feeling satisfied while singing along with the radio.
Hubby likes Classic Rock. I like Contemporary Christian and we both like Country. The classic rock station was playing a song from 1970, Neil Young’s Southern Man.
Southern man, better keep your head
Don’t forget what your good book said
Southern change gonna come at last
Now your crosses are burning fast
As I sang the words, it hit me why Lynyrd Skynyrd’s 1974 Sweet Home Alabama names Mr. Young in their lyrics.
Well I heard Mr. Young sing about her
Well I heard old Neil put her down
Well I hope Neil Young will remember
A southern man don’t need him around anyhow
I had never connected the two before. Guess this country has been divided for a long, long time. One thing I know for sure, if you’re serving up authentic Sweet Southern Tea, you better be frying up a batch of chicken to go with it. Happy Southern Ice Tea Day everyone!
Southern Ranch Oven-Fried Chicken
Oil for frying
2 cups Flour
4 tablespoons dry Ranch Dressing Mix
2 cups Buttermilk
Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
8 Chicken Legs
Pour the oil to a depth of a 1/4 to a 1/2-inch into a deep cast-iron skillet or Dutch oven. Place in the oven and heat the oven to 450. It is very important that your skillet be in your oven while it heats.
In a shallow bowl or pie tin whisk together the flour and ranch dressing. In another shallow bowl pour about a quarter-inch or so of buttermilk. Lay out chicken, pat dry with paper towels.
Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken in the flour, dip in the buttermilk, then coat again in the flour mixture.
CAREFULLY remove skillet from the oven. Using tongs, place chicken into the skillet, positioning pieces so as not to touch.
Return skillet to oven; bake for 35 minutes. Remove from oven, with tongs turn each piece of chicken over, continue to oven-fry for 15 minutes longer.
Remove skillet from oven. Arrange fried chicken on a paper towel-lined platter or large serving basket.
This chicken is great served hot or cold. For a picnic, potato salad is always awesome. For a warm chicken supper, fries might just hit the spot.
Buttery Wedge Cut Home Fries
6 medium Russet Potatoes
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
4 tablespoons Butter
Handful Parsley
2 teaspoons Smoked Paprika
1/2 cup Sour Cream for serving
Heat oven to 425-degrees. Scrub, dry and cut potatoes into “wedge” style potatoes (6-8 wedges per potato, depending on size).
Line a baking sheet with foil. (A second baking sheet may be necessary to keep potatoes in a single layer). Arrange the potato wedges on baking sheet and toss to coat lightly in olive oil. Season liberally with salt and pepper and roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until deeply golden and crisp, turning once half way through. (Depending upon how thick the cut, another 10 minutes might be necessary. You want the outside golden like a French Fry, the inside soft like a baked potato).
When the fries are done, melt the butter in a small pan over medium heat until it foams. Toss the fries in large bowl with the melted butter, parsley and paprika. Cover and keep warm until ready to serve. Potatoes can be held in warm oven.
When serving, dollop with a little sour cream if desired.
To complete this Southern Fried Chicken Supper, serve with your favorite style of Corn, be it Cream-Style, Buttery or on the Cob.
And now for the Star of the Show:
Authentic Southern Sweet Tea
1 gallon Water, divvied
3 Family-size or 6 regular Tea Bags
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
2 cups Sugar
Fill a pot with 1/2 gallon of water. Place the pot of the stovetop to boil. Keep remaining half-gallon of water in the refrigerator to chill.
Once the water reaches a full, rolling point, pour into a one-gallon pitcher. Add tea bags and baking soda to the pitcher. Without stirring the water, make sure the bags are fully submerged.
Set a kitchen timer for 15 minutes. Once the time is up, lift the bags from the pitcher. Without squeezing, allow wet bags to drip into the pitcher. Add sugar, stir well.
Add chilled half-gallon of water to the pitcher. Stir again until the sugar is completely dissolved. Place pitcher in the refrigerator to chill for several hours before serving.
You will show me the path to life,
fullness of joys in Your presence,
the delights at Your right hand forever.
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