#ThursYumYum - Slap Ya Pappa Chili

This was my Daddy’s specialty. Like so many other of his recipes, he started his chili with a roux.

Roux

1 med. yellow onion, chopped somewhere between fine and coarse

2 lbs lean ground meat

2 cans chili beans

2 cans chili tomatoes

2 Tbsp tomato catsup

Chili powder to taste

Prepare the roux by browning ½ C flour in a ½ C cooking oil. Salt and pepper to taste. Cook on med heat, stirring almost constantly so it won’t stick for 15 to 30 mins until the roux is the color of coffee with light cream.

Brown the ground meat and onion together. Add together the roux and the meat in a stockpot. Add the chili beans, chili tomatoes, and catsup. Add chili powder. Taste. Add more chili powder. Taste. Add more chili powder. Eventually there will be enough chili powder added that it tastes right.

Daddy loved to extol the virtues of eating onions. He claimed they prevented heart disease, stroke, and cancer. About two and a half years ago, he passed away from an aortic aneurism at the ripe old age of eight-nine, three months shy of his ninetieth birthday. Daddy said most of the world’s best recipes started with a roux. He always added a little sweet catsup to anything with tomatoes, because he said it cut the acid.

#ThursYumYum - Mississippi Mud Cake

2 C sugar
1 1/2 C flour
4 eggs
2 stick margarine
3 to 4 Tbsp cocoa
1 1/2 C chopped pecans
1 C flaked coconut
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Mix sugar, flour, and cocoa. Add eggs and mix well. Add coconut, pecan, and vanilla. Pour into 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Reduce heat. Bake at 350 degrees F for 35 to 40 minutes. Spread marshmallow cream on top of warm cake.

Topping

7 oz jar marshmallow cream
1/2 C margarine
1 C chopped pecans
16 oz box powdered sugar
1/4 C evaporated milk

Mix powdered sugar, cocoa, margarine, and pecans. Add evaporated milk and heat until warm. Pour over marshmallow cream.

#ThursYumYum - Sweet Potato Pie

1/3 C butter softened
1/2 C sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 C evaporated milk
2 C cooked, mashed sweet potatoes
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
9" unbaked pie shell

In a bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and mix until well blended. Add milk, sweet potatoes, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Mix well. Pour into pie shell. Bake at 425 degrees F for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F. Bake 35-40 minutes longer or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool before serving.

#ThursYumYum - Cheesy Garlic Grits

4 C water, salted
1 C grits
1 stick butter, sliced in pieces
1/4 tsp garlic powder
dash Worcestershire sauce
dash Tabasco
1 6oz. garlic cheese roll
1 C grated cheese (I prefer Colby/Jack)
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 short cup of warm milk

Put grits in boiling water for 3 mins. Add butter, garlic powder, Worcestershire and Tabasco, garlic cheese, and grated cheese. Boil on medium heat until cheese melts, stirring constantly.

Put egg in measuring cup, add warm milk to make 1 C. Add to cheese and grits mix. Pour into greased, shallow casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour.

If you would like to contribute a favorite local recipe as a guest post, please let me know at dmoncrief161@att.net.

#ThursYumYum - Seafood Gumbo

Okay, I started this series on Fridays, but because of scheduling, I'm going to move it to Thursdays. Here is this week's recipe.

Medium brown roux
2 med onions, coarsely chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 bell peppers, coarsely chopped
1 Tbsp cooking oil
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
3 to 4 Tbsp Creole seasoning
1 lb frozen okra
1 1/2 tsp file powder
2 C chicken broth
2 C water
1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 lb crabmeat or fresh fish fillets
Hot cooked rice

I always start this off with a nice thick, medium brown roux. To make a roux, heat 1/2 C cooking oil. Gradually add 1/2 C flour. Stir on low heat until mixture is the color of coffee with light cream. This might take 15 to 30 mins. Add salt and pepper to taste.

In a large stock pot over medium to low heat, saute onions, celery, and peppers in oil about 15 - 20 mins until vegetables are tender but not too mushy. Add roux, diced tomatoes, and creole seasoning. Cook on medium to low heat about 10 mins.

Add okra and file powder, cook about 5 mins. Add chicken broth, water, shrimp, and crabmeat or fish. Simmer 15 to 20 mins or until seafood is cooked through.

Serve over hot cooked rice. Add more file powder to taste.

To get that slimy sheen off the okra before adding to mix, stir fry okra in a hot, dry skillet, stirring constantly. Be careful not to burn the okra!

If you would like to guest post your favorite local recipe, please let me know. dmoncrief161@att.net