Comfort? Food.

[crazydiamondsue]

tx_cronopio had a recipe post earlier with a Southern Cornbread Dressing recipe. This confused a few northern folks who take "dressing" to mean salad dressing. I believe in parts of the world that are *not* the southern United States, it's referred to as "stuffing." Someone on her flist giggled at the idea of a "cornbread salad dressing" and I realized that I actually have a recipe for a cornbread salad.

What follows are not Weight Watchers friendly recipes. There will also be no reduction sauces, pine nuts nor the use of a demi-glace of any kind. And they're random and not all terribly seasonal. They are, however, the foods I most associate with my Mama and my Granny and family and growing up all country and stuff.


CREAMY CORNBREAD SALAD
1 (16 ounce) package cornbread mix
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
4 ounces ham slices chopped (optional, I usually omit as I'm not a pork person.)
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup salad dressing (Miracle Whip)
1/4 cup creamy ranch salad dressing (I make fresh from the Hidden Valley packet)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons dry mustard

Prepare and bake cornbread using package directions. Cool; crumble into large bowl. Add green onions, green pepper, tomatoes and ham (if desired); toss well. Blend cream cheese, salad dressing, ranch dressing, salt and mustard in a small bowl. Pour over cornbread mixture, mix well. Chill until serving time.



CORNBREAD DRESSING
I only know how to eyeball my Mom's Tennessee spin on this recipe and have never measured anything - this is Paula Deen's recipe, which is exactly Mom's with the addition of saltine crackers.
Cornbread (Recipe follows)
7 slices oven-dried white bread
1 sleeve saltine crackers
8 tablespoons butter
2 cups celery, finely chopped*
1 large onion, finely chopped*
7 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon sage
1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
5 eggs, beaten

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large bowl, combine crumbled cornbread, dried white bread slices, and saltines; set aside.
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the celery and onion and cook until transparent, approximately 5 to 10 minutes. Pour the vegetable mixture over cornbread mixture. Add the stock, mix well, taste, and add salt, pepper to taste, sage, and poultry seasoning. Add beaten eggs and mix well. Pour mixture into a greased pan and bake until dressing is cooked through, about 45 minutes. Serve with turkey as a side dish.

Cornbread:
1 cup self-rising cornmeal
1/2 cup self-rising flour
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine all ingredients and mix well. Pour batter into a greased shallow baking dish. Bake for approximately 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.
*I chop the celery and onion as finely as possible to give a smooth even appearance to the dressing and well-blended combination of flavors.


CHILE CORN CASSEROLE
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
1 can cream corn
1 (8 ounce package) cream cheese
1 small can green chilies, do not drain

Butter 1-1/2 quart casserole. Combine both cans of corn and cream cheese (cut into small pieces) in a small pan. Heat over low heat, stirring constantly until cheese melts. Add chilies; stir well. Pour into casserole dish and bake at 300 degrees F for 15 minutes or until bubbly. Serves 8.


PRAIRIE SCHOONERS
4 large baking potatoes
1 (15-ounce) can ranch-style beans (substitute pinto beans if necessary)
1 cup sour cream
1 stick butter, room temperature
salt and pepper to taste
1 green pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 cup mild Longhorn-style Cheddar cheese, grated

Slice off top 1/3 of baked potato lengthwise. Scoop out potato with a teaspoon, leaving 1/4-inch around potato skin. Mash scooped-out potato until free of lumps. Drain beans thoroughly, reserving sauce. Mash beans. Whip sour cream, butter, mashed beans, salt and pepper. Add to mashed potatoes, adding enough bean juice to moisten. Spoon mixture lightly into potato shells. Top with grated cheese, onion, and green pepper. Bake at 425 degrees F until browned. Serves 4.



BEEF BRISKET
This is *Texas* style beef brisket. One of my favorite memories is Ladycat - who is used to the Jewish style of brisket braising - attending last May's Rodeo Con and seeing the brisket when I had taken off the grill and seared the barbecue sauce, blackening and crisping the outside of the meat. She gasped, "Oh, I'm so sorry!" I looked from her to the brisket in confusion and then said, "No, it's *supposed* to look like this!" Hee.
1 (5 to 8 pound) beef brisket
2 teaspoons liquid smoke
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons garlic salt
1 teaspoon onion salt
2 teaspoons celery salt
2 teaspoons pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Head Country barbecue sauce

Put brisket on heavy foil. Mix remaining ingredients together for marinade and rub over brisket. Fold up foil and place in refrigerator overnight. Next morning, place in 250 degree F oven for 6 to 7 hours. Remove from oven and cool slightly. Place in freezer for 2 hours. Remove from freezer and remove all fat from marinade and brisket, drain. Place on pre-heated grill and baste with barbecue sauce until outside is crispy and slightly blackened. Slice brisket, serve with heated Head Country sauce. (I've provided a link to order Oklahoma's Head Country barbecue sauce. I can't *make* you use that brand in particular, but you'll not regret if you do.)



CHOCOLATE GRAVY
2 Tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cup sugar
3 Tablespoons cocoa
dash of salt
3 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Mix dry ingredients and add to liquid ingredients. Stir over medium heat until thickened. Add vanilla and stir, allow to heat minute longer. Serve over hot buttered biscuits. (Note: Yes, I realize this sounds weird. I've never had it anywhere other than Oklahoma, if that means anything. Don't think gravy gravy; this is more like a thin pudding, I'd guess? And it's very important to use homemade or at least thick, crumbly biscuits - think KFC - not canned. I had this every Friday morning in my grade school cafeteria. Good times.)




THREE BEAN SALAD
1 cup red wine vinegar
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
salt and pepper
8 ounces green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
8 ounces yellow wax beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 (15 ounce) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 medium red onion, chopped fine
1/3 cup minced fresh parsley

Heat the vinegar, sugar, oil, garlic 1 teaspoon of salt and pepper to taste over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a large, nonreactive bowl and cool to room temperature. Bing 3 quarts of water to boil. Add 1 Tablespoon salt and green and yellow beans and cook until the beans are crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, fill a medium bowl with ice water. When the beans are done, drain and immediately plunge them into t he ice water to stop the cooking process; let sit until chilled, about 2 minutes. Drain well. Add the green and yellow beans, kidney beans, onion and parsley to vinegar mixture and toss well to coat. Cover and refrigerate overnight to let flavors meld. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before serving.



CRUNCHY RAMEN SALAD
1 envelope Good Seasons Italian Salad Dressing & Recipe Mix
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 pkg. (3 oz. each) Ramen noodle soup mix
2 pkg. (16 oz. each) broccoli-slaw blend
4 green onions, sliced
1/2 cup Dry Roasted Sunflower Kernels
1/2 cup Sliced Almonds, toasted

PREPARE salad dressing mix in small bowl as directed on envelope. Stir in sugar and soy sauce.
BREAK apart Noodles; place in large bowl. Discard Seasoning Packet or reserve for another use. Add coleslaw blend, onions, sunflower kernels and almonds to noodles; mix lightly.
ADD dressing; toss to coat. Serve immediately.



LAYERED PUDDING DESSERT
I do not believe I have *ever* attended a Southern Baptist funeral, cake-walk, potluck or prayer meetin' that did not have a big-ass pan of this.
Bottom Layer:
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 cup finely chopped pecans

Middle Layer:
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 (9-ounce) container whipped topping, thawed - divided

Top Layer:
3 cups cold milk
2 (6 3/4-ounce) packages instant chocolate pudding mix
1 small milk, dark or semisweet chocolate bar, grated (optional)

Make bottom layer by mixing together the graham cracker crumbs, butter and pecans until well mixed. Press mixture into greased 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan. Bake in 350*F (175*C) oven for 15 to 20 minutes until lightly browned. Cool completely.
Make middle layer by beating cream cheese with the sugar until smooth. Fold in 1/2 the whipped topping. Spread mixture over the cooled crust.
Make the top layer by beating the milk with the pudding mix until smooth and thickened. Spread the remaining whipped topping over the top. Sprinkle grated chocolate and pecans over top, if desired. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Makes 16 servings.



LEMON ICEBOX PIE
1 cup vanilla wafer crumbs
2 tablespoons butter, melted
vanilla wafers
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar

Combine vanilla wafer crumbs and butter; press into bottom of a lightly greased 9-inch pie plate. Line sides of pie plate with whole vanilla wafers; gently press into bottom layer. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Cool. Combine milk, egg yolks, and lemon juice; mix well. Pour into prepared pie plate. Chill for at least 3 hours or overnight. Serve with whipped cream.

Now, if YOU would like to share with me favorite family recipes, foods, Thanksgiving foods and traditions, stories - please do! You don't have to have recipes, you can say "I freakin' hate homestyle meals - I eat my bowl of lentils and soy by myself in the kitchen while those freaks snarf their bacon-wraped-butter!" Or you can explicate your feelings on my chocolate gravy recipe - whatev. It's y'all or Spanish homework right now. I choose y'all.