Americana Rocks!

Hey Y’all,

We are really looking forward to seeing you all this weekend. I am sure Bonnie is especially excited as Art’s return is imminent.Since it is Memorial Day weekend, an Americana menu was a natural.We panned the 50 states in search of the perfect fare and decided to focus in on the southern region with Paula Deen.I have only watched her show a few times, but I enjoy her approach to life and cooking and I love butter (although I use it sparingly).Plus Bret has been to her restaurant.

As you will see, we picked the “healthiest” of her recipes and also the least complicated ones as we know this is a busy (holiday) weekend for all of us.

Brett and Mary-Lauren Factora

 

MENU

Appetizer—Spinach Gruyere Puff Pastry—Bonnie/Art

Entrée—Gussie’s Fried Chicken with Pecan-Honey Glaze—ML/Bret

Veggie—Spicy Green Beans—Rochelle/Llew

Side—Mango Coconut Rice—ML/Bret

Salad—Spinach, Strawberry, and Hearts of Palm Salad—MJ/Ford

Dessert—Old-Fashioned Chocolate Cake—Amy/Dan

Spinach Gruyere Puff Pastry

Ingredients: · 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed · 4  tablespoon  butter, divided · 1  cup  sliced fresh mushrooms · 1  cup  Gruyere cheese, grated · 1 (17 1/2-ounce) package frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed · Salt and Pepper to taste
Directions: Drain spinach well, pressing between layers of paper towels to remove excess moisture.Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and cook, for 5 minutes. Stir together spinach, mushrooms and cheese; set aside. Roll 1 pastry sheet into a 13×11-inch rectangle. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Brush 1/2 melted butter over pastry. Spread 1/2 spinach mixture over butter. Roll-up, jellyroll fashion, starting with the long side. Repeat procedure with remaining pastry sheet, butter, and spinach mixture. (Wrap rolls in plastic wrap and refrigerate up to two days, if desired.) Cut rolls into 1/4-inch thick slices. Place on lightly greased baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown.Yield: 12-15 Preparation time: 10-12 minutes Cooking time: 15-20 minutes Ease of Preparation: Easy

Gussie’s Fried Chicken with Pecan-Honey Glaze

Ingredients: · 3 to 3 1/2  lb  frying chicken, cut up, or your favorite chicken parts · 2 eggs · Salt and pepper · Garlic powder · Vegetable shortening or vegetable oil · 2  cup  self-rising flour · 1  cup  (2 sticks) butter · 1/2  cup  honey · 1  cup  coarsely chopped pecans · brown paper bag
Directions:
Rinse the chicken and pat it dry. Beat the eggs in a 9 x 13-inch dish. Lay the chicken pieces in the dish, and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste. Turn the chicken and season the other side, then slosh the chicken parts around in the egg until well coated.Place enough shortening or oil in a cast-iron skillet or electric skillet to come just halfway up the sides of the chicken parts. Heat shortening or oil just until smoking, about 375 degrees. Place the flour in a paper bag, add the chicken pieces, a few at a time, and shake to coat well. Remove the chicken with tongs and place it in the hot fat. Cover the pan, leaving a crack for steam to escape, lower the heat to 325 degrees for electric skillet, and cook for 10 minutes. Turn the chicken with tongs, cover again (leaving the lid open just a crack), and cook for 10 minutes longer. Very large pieces may need to be cooked a little longer. Drain the chicken on paper towels and transfer to a platter. To make the glaze, melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat. Whisk in the honey until well blended. Bring to a simmer and add the pecans. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Ladle the glaze over the hot fried chicken and serve.Yield: 4 servings Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes Ease of preparation: moderately easy

Spicy Green Beans

Ingredients: · 4 slices bacon, cut into 1″ pieces · 1 onion, minced · 2  lb  fresh green beans, tipped and washed · 1  cup  boiling water · 3  tablespoon  white vinegar · 3  tablespoon  butter · salt and pepper · 1  teaspoon  cayenne pepper · 1/2 lemon, juice for garnish
Directions:
Cook bacon in frying pan until crisp. Drain bacon and set aside, leaving drippings in skillet. Add onions to drippings and saute until tender. Add green beans to pan and saute over medium heat for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add boiling water to pan and cover. Cook for about 15 minutes, just until beans are tender. Add vinegar, butter and salt and pepper and stir. Add back crisp bacon before serving. Garnish with a squeeze of lemon juice.Yield: 6 servings Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 15 minutes Ease of preparation: Easy

Spinach, Strawberry, and Hearts of Palm Salad

Ingredients: · 1/3  cup  cider vinegar · 3/4  cup  sugar · 2  tablespoon  fresh lemon juice · 1  teaspoon  salt · 1  cup  vegetable oil · 1/2 small red onion, grated · 1 1/2  tablespoon  poppy seeds · 1  teaspoon  dry mustard · 1/2  teaspoon  paprika · 1 1/2  lb  fresh spinach, washed and torn into pieces · 1 can hearts of palm, drained and chopped · 2  cup  strawberries, stemmed and sliced · 1  cup  chopped walnuts
Directions:
For the dressing, combine the vinegar, sugar, lemon juice, and salt in a small non-reactive saucepan and heat over medium heat until the sugar dissolves, stirring frequently. Remove pan from heat and let cool to room temperature. When cooled, whisk in the oil, onion, poppy seeds, dry mustard and paprika until thoroughly combined. Set dressing aside. In a salad bowl, combine the spinach, hearts of palm, strawberries, and walnuts. When ready to serve, add some of the dressing, and toss gently. Serve the remaining dressing alongside the salad so diners may add more, if desired.Yield: 12 servings Preparation time: 10 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes Ease of preparation: easy

Mango Coconut Rice

Ingredients: · 1  tablespoon  olive oil · 1 1/2  cup  long-grain rice · 1 (14-ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk · 2/3  cup  water · 1  teaspoon  salt · 1 large ripe mango, peeled and cubed
Directions:
In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the rice and stir to coat with the oil. Add the coconut milk, water, and salt; bring to a boil. Stir in the mango. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer about 20 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed. Remove the rice from the heat and fluff with a fork. Place a clean, dry dish towel over the pan, cover with the lid, and let steam for 5 minutes before serving. Prep Time – 5 minutesInactive Prep Time – 5 minutesCook Time – 20 minutesYield – 6 servingsDifficulty – Easy

Old-Fashioned Chocolate Cake

 

 

Llew and Rochelle pose with the Old-Fashioned Chocolate Cake baked by Amy to celebrate Llew’s Birthday