Rice Piemontaise

This started out as a very French dish and I guess still is, but I have made some changes. It is excellent served with veal, chicken, beef, lamb, almost anything.

Rice Piemontaise
Serves 6
Printer Friendly Version

1 cup long grain rice
2 1/2 cups chicken broth or beef consomme
1/4 teaspoon saffron (optional)
2 tablespoons grated Romano cheese
1 tablespoon chopped green pepper
1 tablespoon chopped pimiento
6 tablespoons ham, chopped fine
4 tablespoons chopped onion
1/4 stick of butter
Salt and pepper

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the onions and cook until they are transparent. Add the broth and rice and bring to a boil. Cover the saucepan and lower the heat to warm. Let rice steam for 18-20 minutes. When done, uncover and add another 1/3 stick of butter, and with a spoon, gently mix together so that the rice will not stick together, but will be firm and fluffy. Add the chopped green pepper and pimientos and mix again. Serve hot.

COOK'S NOTE: I also like to saute 1/4-1/2 cup of pine nuts to sprinkle over the top before serving.

Cabbage and Potatoes

Why do I always think of Cabbage and Potatoes as a winter dish? Now is the time when the cabbage is fresh in the garden and the new potatoes are just coming out of the ground.

Cabbage and Potatoes
2 servings
print recipe

4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks (about 1-inch)
3/4 pound green cabbage, sliced thin
1/2 +4 tablespoons water
1/2 cup milk
3 green onions, chopped
3/4 stick unsalted butter, softened

Cook potatoes in salted water; drain and mash and set aside. Combine cabbage and water in a large skillet. Cook about 15 minutes or until almost all of the liquid has evaporated. Combine potatoes and cabbage. Combine milk, onions, and 3/4 of the softened butter in a medium saucepan and heat to a boil; stir and pour over cabbage and potato mixture. Stir to combine all ingredients. Place in a bowl. Make a well in the center of mixture; melt remaining butter and pour into well. Serve hot.

Fresh Creamed Peas

Fresh peas from the garden have to be my favorite vegetable. I don't even mind shelling them because I know the wonderful end result.

Fresh Creamed Peas
4-6 servings
print recipe

2 cups fresh shelled peas (you can use frozen)
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 stick of butter, more if you like
1 tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon minced onion
1 1/2 cups milk

Combine peas, salt and water in a 2 quart saucepan and cook over medium high heat until peas are tender. This could take 10-20 minutes depending on the type of peas. Drain and set aside. Melt butter and whisk in the flour and onion cooking for about 1 minute, do not brown, over high heat, whisk in milk and continue whisking until slightly thickened. Add peas and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and serve.

Good Basic Buttermilk Cornbread

There is something about summertime fresh vegetables and good cornbread that just say "Welcome to my home". Fresh from your favorite produce stand or farmers market is the only way to get truly fresh vegetables unless you grow them yourself.

Cornbread is like your favorite jeans, it goes with anything. Keep it simple and casual or dress it up.

I probably have ten cornbread recipes that I just love, but when in doubt go with the basics. Any left over can be buttered and fried for breakfast with homemade jams or used as the base for you Sausage Gravy.

Basic Buttermilk Cornbread
6-8 servings
print recipe

1/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 large egg
2 cups self-rising corn meal

Preheat oven to 425. Melt butter in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet in oven for 8 minutes.

Whisk together buttermilk and egg in a large bowl; add melted butter from skillet, whisking until blended. Whisk in cornmeal until smooth. Spoon into hot skillet.

Bake at 425 degrees for 30 minutes or until golden. Cut into wedges to serve with plenty of butter.

Damn These Are Good Fried Banana Peppers

Fried Banana Peppers and summer just go together, and if you have a family member,my nephew Randy, as I do that grows enough of these in his garden to supply the next 5 counties you need to know how to make "damn good fried banana peppers".

This is not something I have learned overnight, this is years of trial and error. If you don't believe me try making these and not following instructions. This is one example of the technique being as important as the ingredients.

This is NOT a batter, that normally slides right off, this is a light crispy crust. The important ingredient is the crushed saltine crackers. The important technique is to let them set in the refrigerator after you have breaded them for at least 2 hours to overnight before frying. A suggestion is to double bread them for lots of crunch, I normally do.

Did I mention that making fried green tomatoes like this is also damn good.

Fried Banana Peppers
10 peppers (not servings)
print recipe

10 banana peppers (washed, sliced lengthwise and seeds removed)
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup saltine cracker, crushed
vegetable or peanut oil for frying

1. In a medium bowl, mix together equal parts cornmeal and crushed saltines.
2. Prepare shallow bowl of buttermilk
3. Place prepared banana peppers in bowl of buttermilk. Let rest for 10-20 minutes. Let excess buttermilk drain from pepper.
4, Coat with cornmeal/cracker mixture. I use a plastic bag.
5. Re dip and coat now if that is your plan.
6. Place coated peppers on a plate or pan and refrigerate for 2-24 hours.
7. Heat oil in frying pan or deep fryer to medium heat. Fry until golden brown.
8. Drain/cool slightly on paper towels
9. Serve as is or with your favorite dipping sauce.

Please let me know is you find a better "Fried Banana Pepper" recipe.

Empty Promises - Saints and Scriptures Sunday

How many times have we heard someone say, "I'll keep you in my prayers, bless her heart or I'll add you to our prayer list at church". You know they have forgotten it as soon as they walk away. This is basically what Matthew had to say about that.

Matthew 5:33-37

"And don't say anything you don't mean. This counsel is embedded deep in our traditions. You only make things worse when you lay down a smoke screen of pious talk, saying 'I'll pray for you,' and never doing it, or saying 'God be with you'. and not meaning it. You don't make your words true by embellishing them with religious lace. In making your speech sound more religious, it becomes less true. Just say 'yes' and 'no'. When you manipulate words to get your own way, you are wrong.

More Saints and Scriptures at The Kennedy Adventures - Saints and Scriptures Sunday.

Baked Vidalia Onions

It's hard to believe that this is only the second vidalia onion recipe I've posted. When vidalia's are in season I use them for everything, including a slice of vidalia on a cold biscuit with tomato and a dap of mayo.

Baked Vidalia Onions
6 servings
print recipe

6 large Vidalia onions
1 (6-ounce) package cornbread stuffing mix
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Peel onions and cut a small slice from top and bottom. Cut each onion into wedges, cutting to within 1/2 inch of bottom. Set aside. Prepare stuffing mix according to package directions. Cool and stir in cheese. Fill onions with stuffing mixture and wrap each onion in aluminum foil. Place onions in a baking pan large enough to give at least 1 inch clearance around each onion. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. These are great for cookouts.