southern cooking

Learn how to make toast points with this step by step guide. These Toast Points are little breads that are perfect for dips. They are especially great with smoked salmon and can be used in the mornings as a breakfast idea or at night as a party appetizer or hors d'oeuvre. Spice them up with a little cayenne or or garlic or go traditional with a pinch of black pepper.&nbsp;

How to Make Perfect Toast Points

white bread

tbsp butter

tsp black pepper (- see note 2)

Melt the butter in the microwave or in a small pan on the hob.

Use a serrated knife and a sawing action to cut the crusts from the slices of bread. (see note 3)

Lightly brush 1 side of bread with butter mixture. Sprinkle with pepper

Cut each slice of bread into 4 triangles.

Place the bread, buttered sides up, onto a baking sheet.

Bake 6-8 minutes or until golden and toasted.

Allow to cool on a rack for at least 30 minutes.

Classic, creamy deviled eggs topped with Old Bay seasoning and pickled shrimp.

Deviled Eggs with Old Bay Shrimp

rock shrimp

c. white wine vinegar

eggs

mayonnaise

tbsp. dill pickle juice

tsp. Old Bay seasoning

salt

Old Bay seasoning

dill

If you want a hearty white gravy that you&#x27;d find in a good Southern restaurant, but you don&#x27;t have or don&#x27;t want to use bacon grease, then this is the recipe for you!

Restaurant Style Southern White Gravy Recipe

unsalted butter

tbsp. all purpose flour

milk

Salt

black pepper

Melt butter over low heat in a small...

Melt butter over low heat in a small saucepan. Add flour and combine. Add ¼ tsp salt and around 10 grinds pepper.

Stir until the flour is about the color...

Stir until the flour is about the color of peanut butter and smells nutty. Add ½ of the milk and increase heat to medium.

Allow to come to a simmer, stirring constantly...

Allow to come to a simmer, stirring constantly to avoid sticking. On the first run, the gravy is likely to nearly seize, be ready with more milk.

Add milk by quarter or half cups until...

Add milk by quarter or half cups until gravy has thickened considerably. If using a whisk you’ll know the gravy is ready when drawing the whisk through the gravy leaves “tracks” from the wires that remain visible for at least 5 seconds.

Add at least 10 more grinds pepper and...

Add at least 10 more grinds pepper and another pinch of salt, to taste.

Screechin&#x27; Peach Cobbler. An old fashioned favourite southern dessert made even better with the addition of dark rum to the ripe fresh peaches!

Screechin' Peach Cobbler

flour

tsp baking powder

tsp salt

sugar

butter,

whipping cream

tsp vanilla extract

peaches

cinnamon

tsp fresh grated nutmeg

butter

brown sugar

Screech (or other dark rum)

tbsp corn starch

Southern Sausage Gravy. Great biscuits and gravy is easy with this no cream added recipe to turn any kind of sausage into a delicious comfort food breakfast or brunch.

Southern Sausage Gravy

sausage meat

garlic, chopped

onion

tbsp all purpose flour

milk (I used 2%)

chicken stock (sodium free

tsp black pepper

chili flakes (optional

Start by breaking up the sausage meat into...

Start by breaking up the sausage meat into small pieces and brown it well over medium to medium high heat. You want to get some good color when browning the sausage, to add extra flavour to the gravy.

When the sausage is cooked, remove it from...

When the sausage is cooked, remove it from the pan and set aside for later.

Turn the pan down to medium to medium...

Turn the pan down to medium to medium low and melt the butter.

Add the onions and garlic and cook for...

Add the onions and garlic and cook for only a minute or so to begin softening the onions.

Add the flour to the pan and mix...

Add the flour to the pan and mix it in well. Cook for a minute until foamy.

Combine the chicken stock and milk and add...

Combine the chicken stock and milk and add to the pan along with the black pepper. Don't add salt yet.

Turn the pan to low and simmer slowly...

Turn the pan to low and simmer slowly for 5 minutes or so, stirring often, until the gravy thickens.

Taste the gravy to see if it needs...

Taste the gravy to see if it needs additional salt. Depending on the type of sausage you use, there may be enough salt in it to season the gravy properly. I recommend low sodium chicken stock but if not, this will also add salt to the dish. In any case, seasoning at the end is best way not not OVER season the gravy. 

Serve over warm biscuits.

These cheese grits are perfectly rich, creamy, and cheesy - the very best way to eat grits if you ask this Southern girl! With options for stone-ground grits or quick grits, this might just be the only grits recipe you&#039;ll ever need.

Cheese Grits (Stone-Ground &amp; Quick Grits Options)

water

grits (stone-ground OR quick grits)

½ cup half and half (or heavy cream

½ cups shredded cheese

Bring water to brisk boil in large saucepan, then slowly stir in grits and salt.

Reduce heat to medium-low and cover saucepan with lid. Stirring occasionally, cook approximately 5 minutes, or until thickened.

Remove lid. Stir in butter and ¼ cup of half and half. Continue stirring, adding remaining half &amp; half in one tablespoon increments. Stir until mixture thickens and begins to sputter slightly. This should happen quickly, about the same time you finish stirring in cream.

Taste grits and add more salt, if desired. Stir in cheddar cheese until melted and smooth. Top with additional shredded cheese (optional) and serve hot.

For Quick Grits

Bring 4 cups salted water and 1 tablespoon butter to boil in large saucepan.

Slowly add in stone-ground grits. Stir constantly to avoid lumps.

Add ½ teaspoon salt and partially cover saucepan with lid. Reduce heat to medium or medium-low. Simmer mixture approximately 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Note: grits should simmer, bubbling slightly but not violently. My stove runs hot so I usually simmer on medium-low.

Remove lid and stir in remaining butter and ¼ cup of half and half. Continue stirring, adding remaining half and half in 1 tablespoon increments, until mixture thickens and begins to sputter slightly, approximately 15 minutes.

For Stone-Ground Grits (Recommended)

A Dark or Red Roux - essential to so much cooking from Louisiana!

Dark or Red Roux

oil/fat/clarified butter

Warm oil in a heavy-bottomed pan or cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add flour carefully (it can spatter and sputter) stirring with a whisk to dissolve clumps. Make certain your whisk fits into the corners of the pan, and switch over to, or alternate between, a large spoon if not. Turn the heat to medium-low. Bubbles, rather small, should be forming but it should not be spattering. Stir constantly at this point, as the roux begins to thicken.

After a few minutes, the roux will begin to lose its floury look, the bubbles will begin to diminish. Lower the heat so only a few bubbles are forming. At this point it is possible to leave the roux for a few seconds to do small tasks (and I do mean seconds &#8211; do not walk away at any point in the cooking process or there could be terrible results and/or fire!) and it is very helpful to have a small plate handy to set the spoon or whisk &#8211; if left in the pot, it may become too hot to handle; when it needs to be stirred. It does need to be stirred; a roux can easily burn in the short amount of time it takes to grab a hot pad or another whisk.

After about 15 minutes or so, the roux will begin to be noticeably darker, blonde in color, and much thinner. It&#8217;s normal to see some separation between the flour and the oil, and it is important to keep stirring so the flour doesn&#8217;t settle to the bottom of the pan, sit in one place too long and burn. At this point, there will be very few to no bubbles, and that&#8217;s ok. If you&#8217;re up to standing and giving the pan constant attention, the heat could go up just a smidge. If you would like to be able to still walk away a few seconds here and there, just keep it where it&#8217;s at. My opinion: slow and steady is best.

In about 20 to 25 minutes, it will reach the brown stage and begin to smell &#8220;nutty&#8221; or &#8220;toasty.&#8221; Generally, it will be finished and to the dark stage at around 30 to 35 minutes or so. Even when it&#8217;s done and you&#8217;ve turned down the heat, do not leave the hot roux in the hot pan without continuing to stir; it will be at risk of burning. Once it has cooled down a bit, you&#8217;re fine.

Chopped cabbage cooked in chicken broth with fried bacon and onion.

How to Make Fried Cabbage with Bacon

bacon

onion (chopped)

chicken broth

cabbage

salt and black pepper (to taste)

In a stock pot or dutch oven, cook the bacon and onion over medium heat until the bacon is cooked through and the onions are tender.

Add the chicken broth, scraping the bottom to release any stuck on bits.

Place the chopped cabbage into the pot and season with salt and black pepper as desired. (Optional: If you like vinegar in your cabbage, this is where you could add it in.)

Cover the pot and continue cooking over medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes or until the cabbage is tender and the broth has been absorbed, stirring as needed.

Top 8 southern cooking recipes from across the web

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Top Tags

How to Make Perfect Toast Points

Deviled Eggs with Old Bay Shrimp

Restaurant Style Southern White Gra...

Screechin' Peach Cobbler

Southern Sausage Gravy

Cheese Grits (Stone-Ground & Qu...

Dark or Red Roux

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Top 8 southern cooking recipes from across the web

The most viewed southern cooking recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

How to Make Perfect Toast Points

Deviled Eggs with Old Bay Shrimp

Restaurant Style Southern White Gra...

Screechin' Peach Cobbler

Southern Sausage Gravy

Cheese Grits (Stone-Ground &amp; Qu...

Dark or Red Roux

How to Make Fried Cabbage with Baco...

The most viewed southern cooking recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

Cheese Grits (Stone-Ground & Qu...