Recipes from 'Southern Plate: Classic Food That Makes Everyone Feel Like Family' (2024)

View full sizeThe Huntsville TimesChristy Jordan's cookbook hit the shelves Tuesday.

An excerpt from ChristyJordan's cookbook, "Southern Plate: Classic Food That Makes Everyone Feel Like Family," which hit bookstore shelves Tuesday:

I have never known anyone who did not absolutely love these muffins. One of the many great things about them, and what my mother liked so much with a large family to feed, is that you can use any type of apple and it makes no difference - they will still be just as good. You can also use apples that are starting to get a little soft and running out of their shelf life.

I try to make two batches so we have them to snack on for a few days afterward. This is my traditional "first day of school dish" that I take to welcome my children's teachers back from their summer vacation.

Apple Spice Muffins

1 1/4 cups self-rising flour (see Note)
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1/4 cup quick-cooking oats
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 eggs
2 cups peeled, cored, and chopped apples
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 tablespoons water

Preheat the oven to 400degF and prepare a 12-hole muffin pan by spraying with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, nuts, oats, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and add the apples, oil, and water. Pour the egg mixture all at once into the flour mixture: stir just until the flour is moistened. Spoon the batter into muffin cups and bake for 20 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Note: If self-rising flour is unavailable, use all-purpose flour and add 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Makes 12 muffins.

Macaroni salad is a staple at family gatherings and barbecues in the South. It's another one of those filling side dishes that can be made on the fly and with very little expense - our favorite kind. To get a Southern cook's macaroni salad recipe, you have to be quick, though, as I've never known one who actually measured anything out. Instead we make it by heart, adding a little of this and a little of that. My sister-in-law Tina, affectionately known as "Aunt Looney," makes a delicious salad, and I stood over her shoulder the last time we visited so I could bring you a recipe that would allow you to duplicate it. This tastes better if allowed to chill for several hours.

Aunt Looney's Macaroni Salad

10 ounces dry macaroni
1/2 to 3/4 cup mayonnaise (if you like more dressing add the full amount)
1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard (you can use regular if you have it on hand)
One 4-ounce jar pimentos, drained
1/3 cup sweet pickle relish
Salt and pepper to taste (I start with 1/2 teaspoon of each)

Cook the macaroni according to the package directions. Drain in a colander and run cold water over it to cool.

Mix all the other ingredients together in a medium bowl. Add the macaroni and mix well, adding more mayonnaise if needed. Cover and chill. Stir before serving. Makes 8 servings.

Biscuits are such a staple of the Southern diet that it's usually one of the first things folks think about when they think of Southern food. Back in the day, folks bought flour in 25-pound sacks, so biscuits and dumplings and such were a great way to make a meager meal more filling for the whole family. Oftentimes, meals consisted of biscuits and a little milk gravy, made using some bacon grease for seasoning. This was a completely meatless meal that still managed to fill stomachs before setting off to a hard day's work. My great-aunt Louise often said, "Many a family would have starved if not for biscuits and gravy."

This is one of many reasons why biscuits still hold a revered place at Southern dinner tables. Still, a lot of folks end up disappointed in their biscuits, as they turn out flat and tough. This method of preparation helps to ensure there is no overkneading. People who've never been able to make a light and fluffy biscuit have reported back that theirs turned out beautiful after trying this recipe.

Daddy's Rise-and-Shine Biscuits

2 1/4 cups self-rising flour (see Note)
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
All-purpose flour for dusting
Melted butter for brushing the baked biscuits

Preheat the oven to 450 F and grease a baking sheet.

Place the flour in a large bowl. Cut the butter in with a long-tined fork until crumbly. Cover and place in the refrigerator for 10 minutes. Slowly pour in the buttermilk and stir just until moistened.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead three or four times with your hands, adding flour as needed to prevent sticking. With well-floured hands, pat the dough out into a rectangle about 3/4-inch thick. Fold each side over into the center as if folding a letter. Repeat two more times, beginning with patting the dough out.

Pat the dough out a final time until it is 1/2- inch thick. Cut with a biscuit cutter dipped in flour and place the biscuits on the baking sheet with the sides touching. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove from the oven and brush the tops with melted butter.

All recipes reprinted courtesy of William Morrow Cookbooks.