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Decadent Fudge Pudding Cake is Diabetic Friendly

Larry Cox — Sun, 27 May 2012 21:53:11 +0000

The Kitchen Diva’s Diabetic Cookbook: 150 Healthy, Delicious Recipes for Diabetics and Those Who Dine with Them by Angela Shelf Medearis (Andrews McMeel, $24.99)
This is a cookbook that features dishes that everyone can enjoy even if you aren’t diabetic. Angela Shelf Medearis, an Austin-based force of nature, has written six previous cookbooks, is a recognized culinary historian, and president of Diva Productions, a company that produces her cooking show, “The Kitchen Diva” for PBSHulu.com. Did I mention that she has also written more than 90 books for children?
Her latest project is a cookbook that is geared to help cooks of all skill levels create fun, easy, budget-friendly meals that are diabetic friendly. Medearis has build a national reputation for her cooking, a style that blends traditional comfort foods and ethnic dishes but with a healthy twist. Since 20 million Americans are diabetic, this cookbook is certain have wide appeal. The recipes are accessible and, like the diva herself, sassy.
This collection is divided into seven main chapters: Flavor Infusions – Dips, Dressings, Sauces, and Spice Mixes; Jump Start Your Day – Breakfast; Midmorning Snacks and Afternoon Energizers; Let’s Do Lunch; Delectable Dinners; Sensational Side Dishes; and Sweet Finishes and Nighttime Nibbles. Each time I encounter a diabetic cookbook, the proof in the pudding is, of course, the desserts. What a pleasant, tasty surprise to find recipes for a mouthwatering Cinnamon-Pecan Cake, a decadent Fudge Pudding Cake, and even a Pecan-Praline Sweet Potato Pie in this collection. How can a Pecan-Praline Sweet Potato pie be diabetic friendly, you ask? Skim milk and the magic of Splenda.
I spent a week testing this cookbook and eventually prepared six recipes. Since I am type 2, I had a special interest in this collection. I am pleased to report that every recipe I made was a success and, perhaps most important of all, delicious.
Micro-Wave Meat-Stuffed Peppers and Sweet and Sour Watermelon and Cucumber Salad were a snap to prepare. Fast Turkey Patties with Maple-Rosemary Sauce with Black-Eyed Peas Cakes were a perfect combination for a summer supper. My last two recipes were desserts. I chose a Pineapple Upside-Down Cake, a personal favorite, and Fudge Pudding Cake which is as delicious as the name sounds.
This is a cookbook that is highly recommended. Get a copy and let the fun meals begin!

FUDGE PUDDING CAKE
Makes 12 servings
¾ c pecan halves
1 c all-purpose flour
1/3 c Splenda no-calorie sweetener, granulated
¼ c plus 3 Tbs unsweetened cocoa powder
½ tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
½ c nonfat milk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 Tbs canola oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
¾ c firmly packed Splenda brown sugar blend
1 ½ c, hot strong coffee (I used French Market Cajun coffee)
+++
Preheat oven to 375F. Lightly coat an 8-inch sq baking dish with butter-flavored cooking spray.
Place the nuts on a rimmed baking sheet and bake, stirring once, until fragrant, about six minutes. Pour into a bowl to cool.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, Spenda, the ¼ c of cocoa, the baking powder, and salt and stir with a whisk to blend. In a glass measuring cup, combine the milk, egg, canola oil, and vanilla. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and gradually stir in the milk mixture until combined. Stir in the pecans. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Dissolve the brown sugar blend in the coffee and spoon over the batter.
Bake until the cake is almost set, 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes. Dust with the remaining 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder. Serve hot or warm.

How to Cook the Perfect Burger this Holiday Weekend

Larry Cox — Sat, 26 May 2012 16:08:10 +0000

This is Memorial Day weekend. I grew up in the South where the holiday was called Decoration Day. It was time when I would accompany my grandmother to three different cemeteries in northwest Arkansas to put flowers on family graves. At some of the rural cemeteries, picnic lunches were brought and it was a time of reconnecting with old friends, maintaining family plots, and, of course, remembering those who had died.
As we celebrate this holiday, millions of us will fire up our grills. The meat of choice will more than likely be beef. To cook a perfect hamburger takes more than slapping some beef on a cooker.
According to Denise Kiernan and Joseph D’Agnese, authors of “Stuff Every American Should Know,” the perfect hamburger begins with choosing the proper meat. Get ground chuck instead of ground beef since chuck comes from a single part of the animal, not a hodgepodge of scraps and unspecified bits. (Think pink slime) Choose meat that is 70-80% fat since the flavor comes from fat and makes the final product juicy. My pick is twice-ground chuck.
To build a better patty, aim for a six-ounce burger. Handle the meat as little as possible, use only the amount to form a patty and use a kitchen scale to gauge the proper weight. Roll the meat into a ball between your palms and then flatten it. Shoot for ½ inch to ¾ inch thick. Gently dent the top with your thumb to keep it from puffing up like a balloon when cooked.
Fire up the grill but don’t begin cooking until you are certain it is so hot you can’t hover your hand over it. Brush the grill lightly with olive or vegetable oil. Sprinkle the patty with salt and pepper, grill for 3 to 4 minutes, then flip and cook the other side for about the same time. This is important: Don’t press the patty with a spatula, otherwise you lose the juices. Cook each patty until the ground beef reaches about 165F.
All of the ingredients should match the meat. If you are choosing cheese, for example, pick one that is thin and sturdy enough to melt on the burger. Bacon should be prepared ahead of time and served grease-free at room temperature. Condiments and fresh vegetables should be good quality.
Assemble burgers as soon as they come off the grill and enjoy.
From “Stuff Every American Should Know” by Denise Kiernan and Joseph D’Agnese (Quirk, $9.95)

Peaches Under Meringue Takes 10 Minutes from Prep to Table

Larry Cox — Thu, 24 May 2012 18:46:04 +0000

Gourmet Weekday: All-Time Favorite Recipes Inspired by Gourmet Magazine (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $20)
Sara Moulton, a former Gourmet magazine executive chef and the current food editor of Good Morning America, serves up 100 of the editors’ favorite recipes. The dishes were chosen from the hundreds created and published by the magazine.
The featured recipes are simple dishes, especially created for family dinners and easy entertaining. Even though there are some that have an international flair, most require ingredients easily found in the neighborhood supermarket.
The recipes are showcased in ten basic chapters: Snacks & Starters; Soups & Stews; Sandwiches & Burgers; Pasta, Pizza & Rice; Vegetarian Mains; Seafood; Chicken; Beef, Pork & Lamb; Side Dishes; and Desserts. There are also sample menus and an introduction by Sara Moulton.
Tested, retested, and then tested again by Gourmet’s chefs is the name of the game. Some of the exceptional recipes include Rigatoni with Marinara Sauce and Ricotta, a rather simple Bacon-and-Egg Rice, Mexican-inspired Chicken Tostadas, and two luscious desserts, Blackberry Peach Cobbler and a decadent Chocolate Souffle Cake.
I tested three recipes from this collection. The Tomato and Tomatillo Gazpacho was a perfect choice during our recent hot days. The Herb-Roasted Pork Loin was a little involved and took an hour and a half, from start to table, but was worth the extra time and effort. The rosemary, thyme, sage and savory made this dish sing. I spotted fresh peaches while shopping this past week and thought it might be fun to make Peaches Under Meringue. They took ten minutes to prepare and I used my neighbors as guinea pigs. They squealed with delight.
PEACHES UNDER MERINGUE
2 ripe peaches, halved and pitted
5 tablespoons plus 1 tablespoon sugar
1 large egg white
Salt
2 tablespoons finely chopped sesame candy or crushed amaretti (I chose amaretti)
+++
Preheat boiler.
Put peaches, cut side up, on a baking sheet and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon sugar. Broil 4 to 5 minutes from heat until tops begin to brown, 2 to 4 minutes. Remove sheet from broiler.
Beat egg white with a pinch of salt in a small deep bowl using an electric mixer at medium high speed until frothy. Gradually add remaining 3 tablespoons sugar, beating until white holds stiff, glossy peaks. Fold in the candy or amaretti.
Place a dollop of meringue on each peach half and broil for 30 seconds. Turn off broiler and leave peaches in oven just until tips of meringue are browned, 30 seconds to one minute. This period is critical so watch carefully.
What could be simpler?

A Cake Recipe From a 19th Century Swedish Cookbook

Larry Cox — Wed, 23 May 2012 16:03:19 +0000

The Swedish-American Cookbook: A Charming Collection of Traditional Recipes Presented in Both Swedish and English (Skyhorse Books, $16.95)
This collection of Swedish recipes was originally published more than a century ago and even though it has been updated, it still maintains its charm and authenticity.
The recipes are presented side-by-side in both Swedish and English and cover everything from traditional breads and candies to meats and beverages. There is even a few pages devoted to tips such as how to best remove ink stains, wash lace curtains, clean sponges and break in new kettles. Until I read this cookbook, I never knew why my grandmother before buying fresh nutmeg would prick one with a small pin. If the nutmeg was good, a small spot of oil would form around the little hole.
There are sample menus, helpful information for preparation and even instructions on how to preserve fruits and vegetables. This must-have cultural guide has more than 300 recipes that are accessible and, of course, time tested.
Most of the recipes cover a mere paragraph or two. For example, the onion soup recipe has less than 50 words. Another thing most modern cooks will notice is the lack of precise measurements in many of the directions. For onion soup, it simply states using one small onion for each person, browning the onions in butter and then pouring bouillon over them. It adds that if you have meat jelly, include it, and thicken with butter and flour and “serve with butter in the French manner.” How simple could that be? As I have stated in this column, my grandmother was a Texas woman and one of the best cooks I ever knew. She did not even own a measuring cup and simply added ingredients until it “looked right.” One of my favorite recipes from her ends with “cook until cooked.”
I love this dandy little cookbook. I tested “Economical Cake” which was tasty and simple to prepare.
ECONOMICAL CAKE (exactly as presented in the book)
“One pound flour, quarter pound of sugar, quarter pound of butter or lard, half pound of currants, one teaspoon soda, four whites of eggs, and half a pint of milk. To be very economical, you can make a good cake even if you leave out the eggs and currants. Beat the batter to a cream and stir in all the ingredients but the soda which, you add lastly when all is well worked. Put the cake in a buttered mold and bake in a moderately heated oven one hour and a half.”

Trying to Beat the Heat? How About a Watermelon Margarita?

Larry Cox — Wed, 23 May 2012 15:03:43 +0000

Edible Cocktails: From Garden to Glass, Seasonal Cocktails With A Fresh Twist by Natalie Bovis (AdamsMedia, $17.95)
Natalie Bovis is a recognized beverage consultant who can also mix a mean cocktail. Based in Santa Fe, she maintains the popular website, www.theliquidmuse.com.
Her latest collection features more than 150 recipes for drinks, syrups, jams, and purees. In addition to two chapters devoted to mixology basics and how to plant your very own “cocktail garden,” the featured recipes run the full spectrum. From grape-based and sparkling cocktails to homemade liqueurs, this is the perfect guide to help survive the toasty summer days of Arizona.
When the temperature tops the century mark, kick back and enjoy a tall glass of homemade lemonade. (hint: this isn’t the lemonade your mother made unless she was a bartender) Natalie makes it easy for even a novice to make a perfect cocktail for almost every occasion. What makes this collection different is the use of fresh ingredients, many from your personal herb pots or garden.
If you have a pot of mint in your patio, you are already on first base. This book proves that life can be much more than a cold bottle of beer or whisky and branch water. The possibilities are almost endless.
Two recipes that I thought were perfect for this hot week:
WATERMELON MARGARITA
½ oz fresh lime juice
½ oz agave syrup
¼ oz organic Loft Tangerine Cello liqueur
1 oz fresh organic watermelon juice
1 ½ ozs organic tequila (silver or reposado)
Garnish, mint rimmer
Rim a rocks glass with Mint Rimmer. Set aside. Pour all ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice. Strain into glass.
MINT RIMMER
3 Tbs dried mint
1 cup raw sugar
Place mint and ½ c raw sugar into a food processor and grind until well mixed and powdery. Mix with remaining sugar and store in an airtight container
++++++
MEXICAN BREAKFAST
2 oz Charizo Mescal
¾ oz freshly squeezed orange juice
¼ oz freshly squeezed lime juice
½ oz Bangkok Lemongrass-Agave Syrup
Garnish with lime wedge and Strawberry-Pink Himalayan salt rim
Rim a rocks glass with Strawberry-Pink Himalayan salt. Fill with ice and set aside. Pour all the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well, the strain into ice-filled, rimmed rocks glass. Serve with lime wedge on the rim of the glass.
STRAWBERRY-PINK HIMALAYAN SALT RIM
3 heaping tablespoons of dried strawberries (make your own by slice fresh strawberries and allowing them to dry on a baking sheet for a couple of days)
1 c pink Himalayan salt
Place the dried strawberries and ¼ c salt in a food processor and grind until blended well and slightly powdery. Mix with remaining salt and store in an airtight container.

Corn Bread Ice Cream Tasty Treat for Hot Tucson Afternoon

Larry Cox — Tue, 22 May 2012 12:17:36 +0000

I Love Corn by Lisa Skye (Andrews McMeel, $19.99)
This is the time of the year when corn is at its peak and plentiful in our neighborhood grocery stores. This nifty little cookbook is a cornucopia of recipes from such world-renowned chefs as Dan Barber, Claudia Roden, Jonathan Bennett, and Martha Stewart.
The fifty dishes are divided by section, namely breakfast, soups and starters, mains, and sweets. The recipes have been crafted by creative, award-winning chefs from around the country who share not just their favorite dishes but also anecdotes that add a personal touch to this appealing collection.
If you like corn, you will love this book. Each page features such tempting dishes as Fresh Corn Gazpacho, Pan-Seared Branzino with Corn Chorizo Pudding and Smoked Tomato Vinaigrette, Chicken Jambonette with Roasted Fennel and Sweet Corn, and a tasty Sweet Corn and Truffles. There is even a Corn Bread Ice Cream.
I tested two recipes from this collection. I made Roasted Corn with Smoked Bacon and Caramelized Vidalia Onions which I served with a pork chop for my Sunday supper. Because it was so unusual and due to the toasty weather this last week, my second dish was Corn Bread Ice Cream.
This is a fun book. Shucks, why don’t you try the ice cream. It really was good.

CORN BREAD ICE CREAM
Makes about 2 ½ quarts
2 cups frozen corn
4 cups whole milk
2 cups heavy cream
½ cup plus ¾ cup granulated sugar
10 large egg yolks
¾ teaspoon salt
++++
Place the corn in a large pot over medium heat and heat it to evaporate any water from the freezer. Add the milk, cream, and ½ cup of the granulated sugar and bring to a boil.
Place the remaining ¾ cup of sugar, the yolks, and salt in a medium-size bowl and whisk together. Gently temper the eggs by pouring the hot liquid into the bowl slowly, stirring constantly.
Blend the mixture with an immersion blender until smooth. Strain and let cool.
Freeze in an ice-cream maker according to its manufacturer’s instructions.

Ham Slow-Cooked in Cola Treat in New British Collection

Larry Cox — Sun, 20 May 2012 22:43:52 +0000

Slow Cooker Magic by Lorna Brash (Pavilion, $19.95)
Lorna Brash is a British food writer and menu consultant. She has written extensively for such publications as Delicious, BBC Good Food, and the Daily Mail Weekend. Her latest collection focuses on delicious recipes made with the crock pot and a little imagination.
Slow cooking is ideal for people with busy lifestyles. After a brief introduction to this style of cooking, Brash serves up recipes in eight categories: Soups & Starters; Bakes; Stews, Casseroles & Sauces; Roasts; Curries & Tanines: Side Dishes; Desserts & Cakes; and Preserves. From Thai Pumpkin Soup to Cardamon Rice Pudding with Honey-Roasted Figs, these are recipes that will inspire cooks of all ages and levels of expertise.
With selections that include Gamekeeper’s Pie, Rich Steak, Mushroom and Pickled Walnut Pudding, and Fruit-Bowl Chutney, many of the dishes have a definite British twist to them To balance the mix, there are also American favorites such as Boston Baked Beans, Candied Sweet Potatoes, and Spicy Mexican Sausage and Beans.
This is a fun cookbook even though some of the ingredients may be a little difficult to find. Scan the meat counter at Safeway for peasants, for example.
I tested two recipes from this collection. The zesty Lemon Drizzle Poppy Seed Loaf was tasty but my hands down favorite was a Slow-Cooked Ham in Cola. The cola gave the meat a caramel quality and was ideal for providing the poaching liquid for an especially salty ham.
SLOW-COOKED HAM IN COLA
Prep time, 15 minutes plus overnight cooking
Cook 6 hours
Heat setting high
2 lbs 4 oz boneless smoked ham, soaked overnight in cold water.
3 ½ cups cola (I used Dr Pepper)
1 star anise
2 inches of fresh root ginger, roughly chopped
1 small onion, roughly chopped
2 celery sticks, strings removed, roughly chopped
2 carrots, roughly chopped
1 bay leave
2 sprigs lemon thyme
2 Tbs dark brown sugar
1 tsp Dejon mustard
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbs honey
++++
Tip a way the ham soaking water and rinse the ham in cold running water. Drain again, then pat the ham dry with kitchen paper and transfer to the ceramic slow cooker.
Pour the color into a large saucepan and stir in the star anise, ginger, onion, celery, carrots, bay leaf, lemon thyme, sugar and mustard. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and then carefully pour over the ham. Cover with the lid and cook on high for 6 hours until the meat is tender and cooked through.
Preheat the grill to hot. Lift the ham out of the slow cooker pot. Remove the rind from the ham, leaving a thin layer of fat. Score the fat in a diamond pattern and drizzle over the honey. Cook the ham under the grill until the fat is bubbling and golden. If serving the ham hot, wrap it in foil to keep warm.
Meanwhile, strain the juices into a saucepan and boil rapidly until reduced by half. Season to taste and serve spooned over the cooked ham.

Pollo Cacciatore, Buon Appetito!

Larry Cox — Mon, 14 May 2012 14:24:30 +0000

Whatever Happened to Sunday Dinner by Lisa Caponigri (Sterling, $24.95)
When she was a young girl, Lisa Caponigri traveled throughout Italty with her father, an internationally known professor of Italian philosophy. She also observed her Sicilian grandmother to master many of her cooking techniques. Later in life when she moved to Italy with her family, she expanded her knowledge of Italian cuisine. Even though she currently lives in Indiana, she never misses an opportunity to spread the gospel of Italian cooking.
The 52 delicious menus in this cookbook are geared for family gatherings. There is a menu for each Sunday of the year featuring a total of 250 recipes. From such classics as lasagna, stuffed peppers, and crostini, to the lesser-known dishes of peperonata (pepper stew over Arborio rice), branzino in sale (sea bass in salt), and salame al cioccolata (chocolate salami), this is a cookbook that invites readers to pull a chair up to the family table and enjoy the feast.
Lisa believes that the family that eats together stays together and that philosophy is evident throughout her collection. The recipes are accessible and fairly easy to prepare. Even the more complex dishes are less daunting than they are fun.
The menus reflect Italian tradition in that each begins with an antipasto, a first course that almost always is a variation of pasta, a second or main course, generally served with a single contorno or side dish, and the finale, dessert. Every menu is different and not a single recipe is duplicated. Consider this typical menu: tortino di asparagi (asparagus torte), pasta pomodoro con vodka (pasta in vodka sauce), petti di pollo alla sostanza (chicken breasts in butter), carote glassate alla marsala (glazed carrots in marsala wine), and meringue al cioccolato (meringue with chocolate).
This is the next best thing to vacationing in the Italian country side. The recipes are authentic and beautifully photographed by Guy Ambrosino.
I tested two recipes from this cookbook. Due to the hot weather, insalata siciliana (Sicilian coleslaw) seemed a good choice for a side dish of pollo cacciatore (hunter’s chicken). These were both so successful, I plan to explore this cookbook even more as we creep further into the hot months of an Arizona summer season.
Buon appetito and salute!

POLLO CACCIATORE
2-3 small chickens, each cut into 8 serving pieces
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 ½ c all-purpose flour
½ c extra-virgin olive oil
5 onions, cut in halves, then sliced into paper-thin half moons
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 large bell peppers, seeded and cut into strips
1 c red wine
1 can (28 oz) chopped tomatoes (preferably San Marzanoi) with their juice
2 c sliced button mushrooms
+++
Season the chicken with sea salt and pepper and dredge lighly in flour.
Heat the olive oil in a deep 12-inch Dutch oven over high heat. Working in batches, brown the chicken on all sides, about 10 minutes per batch. Transfer chicken to paper towels to drain.
Add the onions, garlic, and bell peppers to the skillet and cook over medium-high heat until the onions are translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the wine and deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Reduce the wine for 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes. Return the chicken to the pan. Cover and simmer for 40 minutes.
Add the mushrooms and simmer, uncovered, until they are tender and the chicken is cooked all the way through, about another 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Peachy Keen Iced Tea Perfect Way to Survive Arizona Heat

Larry Cox — Tue, 08 May 2012 17:47:58 +0000

Grilling Vegan Style: 125 Fired-Up Recipes to Turn Every Bite into a Backyard BBQ by John Schlimm (Da Capo, $20)
This new cookbook proves that the backyard BBQ grill isn’t just for meat. Since grilling is a quintessential part of the summer season, the time has come to think outside the box to add a little variety to family cookouts. Not that I want to bad mouth burgers, hotdogs and steaks, imagine a Southwestern Burger with Salsa, an Italian Herb Burger on Focaccia, or a Garbanzo & Herb Burger with Creamy Lemon Tahini Sauce, all made without you-know-what.
John Schlimm, a member of one of the oldest brewing families in the United States, is also an award-winning author of several books including “The Tipsy Vegan” and “The Ultimate Beer Lover’s Cookbook.” His latest collection features 125 recipes plus expert grilling techniques and a breakdown of essential tools.
The recipes are grouped into twelve chapters: Grill Meets Vegan – The Basics of Firing Up; The Friendly Grill – Flame Meets Tofu, Tempeh, Seitan & More; Backyard Bites; Summertime Salads; Fire-Up Sides; Tapas on Deck; Country Maridandes for Tofu, Tempeh & Seitan; The Burgers Are Ready; The New Tailgate Classics; Supper Under the Stars; Picnic Desserts, and Grillside Happy Hour.
In this collection of animal-friendly, flame-kissed foods, the dishes are meant to be shared and savored. With this cookbook, staging a barbecue that everyone can enjoy is a snap. Fire up the grill, toss on some homemade veggie burgers and let the fun begin.
I tested three recipes from “Grilling Vegan Style.” Since I have several varieties of mint on my patio, I made a great Minty Pesto. The Mexican Tortilla Burgers required a little time and effort but the end result was something to celebrate. The Peachy Keen Iced Tea was just the thing to take the heat off of a hot Arizona afternoon.
This is a fun cookbook and one that is user-friendly and highly recommended.
PEACHY KEEN ICED TEA
1 ½ cups sugar
6 ½ cups water
4 regular green tea bags of choice (peach or orange flavored, if desired) Any paper or string removed.
1 lb peaches, peeled and pitted
Shewered peach slices, for garnish
In a small saucepan, create a simple syrup by combining the sugar and 1 ½ cups of water over medium to high heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Set aside to cool.
In a medium-sized saucepan, bring the remaining 5 cups of water to a boil, remove from the heat, and add the teabags, allowing them to steep for 10 to 15 minutes, or longer until desired strength and color. Remove the bags and cool the tea in the refrigerator for about half an hour.
Using a food mill or blender, puree the peaches, then strain through a fine sieve or strainer.
In a large, glass serving pitcher. Combine the simple syrup, tea, and peach puree, stirring well. Add more water, if needed for desired taste and consistency.
Serve the tea in tall clear glasses and garnish with the skewed peach slices.
Makes 4 to 6 servings

Traditional Southern Fried Chicken a Gift from the Gods

Larry Cox — Fri, 04 May 2012 11:46:42 +0000

Lard: The Lost Art of Cooking With Your Grandmother’s Secret Ingredient by the editors of Grit Magazine (Andrews McMeel, $24.99)
My grandmother used lard in many of the dishes she served to our family and before anyone makes a judgment call, let me add that she was healthy throughout her life and lived to be 103.
We have become so cautious about the foods we eat that we steer clear of any recipe that requires lard even though animal fat has been used in cooking for hundreds of years. Even dietitians occasionally tout lard since it contains only 54 percent of the saturated fat found in butter and is free of trans fats when rendered properly.
The editors of Grit Magazine have gathered 150 time-tested recipes, all guaranteed to take much of the stigma away from using lard in our kitchens. The recipes cover over a century of American cooking. If you’ve never baked with lard, you are in for a treat. Biscuits, for example, are the flakiest, pancakes the fluffiest, and crispy fried chicken a gift from the gods.
The recipes in this collection are divided into seven main chapters: Breads and Biscuits; Vegetables; Main Dishes; Cookies and Brownies; Pies; Cakes; and Desserts. The dishes are accessible and require few, if any, extra trips to the grocery store.
I tested four recipes from this excellent cookbook. I found some fresh okra at the market and broke out my cast iron skillet for some traditional Fried Okra. I chose cooking it in cast iron since using skillets made of copper or brass will turn okra black while cooking. The surprise in this recipe was evaporated milk which I don’t remember being in my grandmother’s recipe. My second choice was — hush my mouth — Corn Pone Pie, a Southwestern dish but made with a Midwestern twist and served with sour cream, green onions and cilantro. I could not resist Southern Fried Chicken and even made a batch of Apple Sauce Brownies for a nice change of pace from my regular recipe.
As I mentioned, the recipes in this collection reflect a century of American cooking. I was intrigued by several selections from the WWII-era when certain items such as butter and sugar were rationed. I plan to eventually make the World War II cake which requires no eggs.

SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN
(the real deal)
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ tsp salt
½ tsp white pepper
2 cups buttermilk
Lard, for frying
1 frying chicken, 2 to 2 ½ lbs) cut into 8 pieces
+++
Combine the flour, salt, and white pepper in a paper bag. Place the buttermilk in a large bowl. Set both aside.
In a heavy cast-iron skillet, heat the lard to 340F and 1 ½ to two inches deep (start with 2 cups, adding more if needed). One by one, coat the chicken pieces in the buttermilk, then shake in the bag until well covered with the seasoned flour.
Add the chicken pieces to the hot fat, leaving a little space between the pieces so that they are not crowded. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until underside is golden brown, about 15 minutes. Turn and cook until the other side is brown. Reduce the heat to low; cover and cook an additional 10 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink at the bone. Remove chicken from the fat and drain on paper towels.