A Few of Our Favorite Things

As 2021 draws to a close, we here at Grab The Corkscrew are looking back over the year and counting our blessings. 

We are certainly thankful for our group of writers, our blog turning two last month, and all of the wonderful readers! 

In the spirit of giving, we present to you some of our favorite things and pray that 2022 brings us all a renewed enthusiasm for cooking, dining, and sharing, and for love, the core of it all.

Cheers … 

Wine & Spirits

Franco Serra Barolo – It is no secret I love wine (red, white, rose, you name it!), but I have definitely refined my tastes over the years, and dry Italian reds are definitely some of my favorites.  Our wine rack is always stacked with several bottles of this Barolo.  Reasonably priced at around $35 per bottle, it will not break the bank and yet is a quality full-bodied red, which pairs excellently with meats and cheeses. (Amanda)

Campo Viejo Rioja - Buddy and I found this inexpensive Spanish red wine that we love. It’s fruity and perfectly smooth, but not sweet. Prices range from $10 - $20. If you try any of the older reserves, let it breathe for just a few minutes before pouring. If you cannot find the Campo Viejo, look for any Spanish red that is made with a tempranillo grape (key ingredient), in particular those from the Rioja region, though the blends are delicious, too. (Cam)

Broadbent Vinho Verde - I always keep an extra bottle of this light, refreshing white in my refrigerator. This Portuguese table wine is a blend of green grapes that’s perfectly spritzy and dry at the same time. At around $10, it’s the perfect price point for serving to friends over brunch or a fish dinner. I jokingly call this my “mama wine.” Because of its low alcohol content, you can enjoy a few glasses without feeling worse for the wear. (Mary Margaret)

Segura Viudas Brut Heredad Reserva Cava - This is the ultimate “bring a bottle of wine” choice for the holidays. If you haven’t seen this thing … you have to check it out. It’s a standard 750mL bottle of Spanish sparkling, but the actual bottle is decidedly fat, with an embossed metal base that’s super sexy and looks like it costs way more than $21. It also just happens to taste great, too! (Maggie)

Moet and Chandon Champagne – I confess.  I’m fancy.  Cannot deny it.  There is always something sparkly and chilling in our refrigerator (no matter the time of year), and 9 times out of 10 it is going to include a bottle of this champagne.  Everyone should have a good bottle of champagne on hand; for special occasions, if nothing else. Sometimes after an especially long day, though, it is nice to pop a cork on this fruity (and much too easy going down) bubbly spirit. (Amanda)

Cooking & Food

Better Than Bouillon bases - I grew up cooking with those cute, square cubes of bouillon for soups, stews and the like, but the Better Than Bouillon bases are far and above a better solution for home cooks who like to tweak recipes. These bases are a paste, allowing you to dictate the flavor intensity as you see fit. The brand offers a number of flavor profiles (some Vegan, too) but I always keep beef, chicken and vegetable on hand. (Mary Margaret)

Langres Super Stinky Cheese - I’m officially obsessed with this cheese from Champagne. It’s so stinky I’m required to warn my husband before I open it. No one else in my house wants to share it with me, and I am so fine with that. Traditionally served with Champagne (another classic example of that whole what-grows-together-goes-together adage), Langres is delightful on a thin wafer cracker or toasted baguette, with a couple of Picholine olives to help cut through the intense, luscious creaminess. Oh, and it’s beautiful too. (Maggie) 

Yucatan Guacamole in a squeeze bottle - We keep this in the fridge to use as a condiment on sandwiches and as an addition to salads/dressings. You can find it in the refrigerator section at Wal-Mart next to the sour cream. Because it’s a squeeze bottle, you can squirt some out without air getting to the rest and turning it brown. The avocado content makes it pretty healthy and can raise HDL levels. And it’s delicious. (Cam)

McCormick Gourmet Organic Za'atar Seasoning - My favorite go-to ingredient in my home kitchen these days: The Lawry`s of the Middle East. This interesting little spice blend has earthy notes of thyme, oregano, and sumac. Sumac has a subtle, lemony flavor that brightens this savory spice mix. It’s great for use on roasted turkey, chicken, or fresh vegetables. Mix it with a healthy dose of kosher salt and cracked black pepper, and you have a bold steak rub. Or add into your favorite vinaigrette for salads. Readily available on any spice aisle of any grocery. (Dixie)

Frontera Green Chili Enchilada Sauce - This mild enchilada sauce is my favorite pantry ingredient for stretching leftovers. I can’t stand to waste good protein, but I’m usually tired of it after two meals. With this enchilada sauce, I simply chop any leftover pork/chicken/beef and fold it into a tortilla with cheese, black olives, red onion, and whatever else is in the fridge that needs to be eaten. This 8 oz. package works perfectly for 6-8 enchiladas and freezes beautifully. (Mary Margaret)

Lucini Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Very rarely do I cook with anything except extra virgin olive oil.  It is more expensive than regular olive oil, but it is much healthier for you and does not leave food heavy and oily tasting.  This brand is about $20 per bottle, and I defer to it because it is available in most supermarkets no matter where you live.  Made 100% from Italian olives, it automatically elevates most things I cook. (Amanda)

La Costena Diced Chipotle Peppers - Keep a jar in the fridge to add a little heat and smokiness to any soup or sauce. Add to your heat preference, but about a teaspoon per cup of liquid will perk your tastebuds up. (Cam)

French’s Crispy Jalapeños - Everyone knows about French’s Crispy Fried Onions, but there is a jalapeños version that makes a fantastic topping for your casseroles, soups, chili, and salads. Add them to a charcuterie board, and your guests will love the little spicy accent. The heat is perfect. The crunch is great. (Cam)

Philadelphia Cream Cheese – Yes, this is a very Basic B*#%! item, but it is never NOT in my refrigerator. Having guests over last minute? Throwing a holiday party? Going someplace and need to bring a dish? I defy you not to find hundreds of easy recipes, which use this ingredient, and, let me tell you if there are people in the world who do not like cream cheese I have not met them yet. If I did, I am not entirely sure we could be friends. The loveliest thing about cream cheese, though, is that it almost stands on its own as a dish. Quite often, appetizers requiring this ingredient do not require a dozen other items as well, and it helps take the stress out of cooking.  Am I right, or am I right? (Amanda) 

Bella Sun Luci Sundried Tomatoes - Wal-Mart sells a julienne cut that’s not packed in oil, and they are fantastic in sauces and salads. The flavor is so concentrated, and the texture so meaty, I keep a bag in my pantry at all times. (Cam)

Tools

Half Sheet Pans - The workhorse of my kitchen, half sheet pans are great for baking cookies, making nachos, cooking off a whole pound of bacon, roasting vegetables, and more. Big enough to fit a small spatchcocked turkey, the half sheet size is perfect for home cooks, but also a standard size for when you want to steal recipes from your favorite restaurant which uses whole sheet pans. You just halve the recipe and you’re in business. And you can get 2 of these guys for $12 at Sam’s Club, so you won’t feel bad about putting them through the wringer. Sam’s also sells the quarter-sized sheet pans for smaller tasks so I have a bunch of those as well. (Maggie)

Pre-Cut Parchment Paper Sheets - To keep those half sheet pans looking great longer but more importantly, to be able to rinse them instead of scrub them, find a place to keep some of these pre-cut parchment sheets. They’re 16 x 12 inches, meaning they fit nicely in those 18 x 13-inch half sheet pans. And with the precut sheets, of course, you don’t have to cut them, but also, they don’t roll up on you like cut parchment from a roll does. I have a dedicated drawer in my kitchen that perfectly fits a 1000-sheet box that I buy every couple of years from a restaurant supply store, but for a smaller level of commitment, here’s a 200-sheet pack from Amazon that comes in at a reasonable $14. (Maggie)

Plastic Quart Containers - Ubiquitous in restaurant kitchens, these players should have their own dedicated place in your home too. They’re dishwasher safe, microwave safe, freezer safe, and reusable. And the best thing about these is they come in quart, pint, and cup sizes, but each size uses the same size lid. They stack easily and are easier to dry and store than their Ziploc or Glad counterparts. (Maggie)

De'Longhi Livenza Deep Fryer with Easy Clean System - I just purchased my second deep fryer. After 10 years, the handle for my original Fry Daddy broke, and I couldn’t find a replacement. I decided to upgrade to this baby and I’m very happy with the results. It holds more oil than my last one (it says it holds 1 gallon but it actually holds slightly more) and it has a little spigot that lets you drain off the oil instead of pouring it out of the top. I usually drain off cooled oil into the container it came from, so the spigot makes swift work of that, without the need for a funnel. Plus, almost all of it fits in the dishwasher. It’s the best. If you don’t ever fry, you probably don’t need a countertop deep fryer. On the other hand, if you had your own, you might end up frying a lot more. Also, perhaps off-topic: let’s talk about air fryers. If you’re thinking an air fryer is in any way similar to a deep fryer, get ready for school: an air fryer is a tiny countertop convection oven. It is excellent for heating and re-crisping pre-cooked frozen food (pizza rolls, chicken nuggets, tater tots) and it reheats many leftovers very well, but it will not provide you with yummy fresh Pommes Frites or old-fashioned fried chicken. You can’t use it for things that are battered, like tempura. And fat provides flavor. There I said it. Sorry to proselytize for regularly bathing your food in artery-clogging peanut oil, but holy crap does it make it delicious! (Maggie)

The Ninja Foodi - We have a rule about not bringing new items into the house and kitchen unless something goes out the door at the same time, so I have resisted the Instapot and Ninja cooking trends over the last few years. Well, I got married and a dear friend gave us a Ninja Foodi as a wedding present. It has changed so much about cooking for me. The ability to air fry and pressure cook easily has opened my eyes to a whole new world. I will admit that, at first, I was intimidated by the number of functions. It evenly sautes, slow cooks, pressure cooks, air fries, broils, steams, and much more. Favorite dishes: Morning Star black bean burgers, carnitas, HamBeens soup, and any dried bean dishes. I’ll never go back. (Cam)

Techniques

Homemade Garlic Oil - Something that has been a handy-dandy thing for me, and that I’ve done for the last 30-something years, is to keep a small pan on the stove, preferably a pretty one, full of garlic oil. Simmer fresh, peeled garlic in your favorite oil until it’s soft. Both the roasted garlic and the oil have tons of different uses. Replenish as needed; no need to refrigerate. (Trish) 

Homegrown Dried Sage - ‘Tis the Season! During the holidays there are a few things I MUST have! I want it to “smell” like Christmas! I want it to “look” like Christmas. And above all, I need it to “taste” like Christmas. Once I have all of those things in place, it begins to “feel” like Christmas! The #1 item for me is homegrown dried sage. My husband grows sage in the summer in our tiny garden. We dry tons of it and put them in pretty jars for family and friends. It’s a must-have for me as I prepare the Christmas Dressing. The amazing thing about sage is the aroma will fill the house and is a perfect pairing with Christmas music! (Sylvia)

A Time to Splurge: Blackened Snapper with Cajun Cream and Fried Lobster

Sometimes in life, you just have to splurge! Sometimes, you deserve that plate of food that you’re not counting the calories or the cost.

Well, this is it for me – blackened red snapper with a Cajun cream sauce over yellow rice, topped with deep fried lobster, with Mexican street corn and sliced avocados on the side. 

When I want to cook a meal to treat myself, this is my first choice. It’s packed with flavor and meets all the components to delight all my senses. The fish is soft but flaky. The sauce is creamy and savory. The lobster adds the perfect crisp and crunch!  

The sides add the finishing touches. How can you go wrong with yellow rice covered with a white cream sauce packed with cheese and Cajun spices?  The Mexican street corn off-the-cob really is good enough to be eaten alone!

Zatarain’s makes a wonderful yellow rice. Just cook it according to package directions. And the same with the Mexican style street corn. You can find it in the frozen section, and it goes perfectly with this meal.

And just because I didn’t want any more space on the plate, I added the slices of avocado - who can say “no” to avocados?   

It’s time to splurge. You deserve it!

Red Snapper

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time:  Approximately 30 minutes

Ingredients

4 Red Snapper fillets
2 TB thyme
2 TB onion powder
2 TB Tony’s Creole Seasoning
2 TB avocado oil
1 TBS garlic powder

Directions

Clean fish very well with cool water on both sides and dry with a paper towel. Massage avocado oil on each fillet. Sprinkle all dry seasonings on fish and massage both sides and place in a roasting pan. Cover with foil and put in a preheated oven at 350 degrees. After 15 minutes, remove the foil and cook for approximately 15 more minutes or until fork-tender.

Cajun Cream Sauce

Prep Time:  20 minutes
Cook Time:  15 minutes

Ingredients

½ pint of heavy whipping cream
3 TB salted butter
1 tsp salt (to taste)
1 tsp of black pepper
1tsp of Tony Creole Seasoning
½ chopped sweet onion
1TB of chopped garlic

Directions

Melt butter in a saucepan. Add onions. Next, add all dry seasonings and stir together. Add garlic and heavy cream. Stir until cream becomes thick.

Lobster Tail

Prep Time:  20 minutes
Cook Time:  15 minutes

Ingredients

2 large lobster tails
1 tsp of seasoning salt
1 tsp of black pepper
½ cup of flour
2 cups of peanut or vegetable oil

Directions

Clean and de-shell lobster tails. Cut them into cubes or chunks. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Dust the cubes with flour. Get oil hot in a cast iron skillet and drop pieces in and fry until golden brown. 

Cinco De Mayo in December, Anyone?

This meal was discovered by my oldest daughter, Sydney Camille.  She found it – of all places! -  on TikTok!  

All she said was: “Mom, doesn’t this look good?!” 

I was sold and had to try it, with my own spin, of course!  

It honestly was the perfect storm.  My husband is a principal with amazing coaches and teachers.  I’m lucky enough to reap some of the benefits.  Coach Tawater smokes the best meat and shares great meat with us all the time.  I thought it would be perfect for our quesadillas.

Coach Tawater had just given us a Boston Butt, smoked to perfection, and fork tender!  All the needed ingredients were in the cabinet.  I didn’t need to go to the store for one single thing.

The Tik Tok dances, I never am able to pull off, but a Tik Tok recipe, I was sure I could do!  

The meal was paired with fresh avocados, fresh cut white onions, black beans and corn, and a fresh kale and broccoli slaw.    

The meal was so delicious, and it tasted so authentic. It reminded me of many years ago when I taught kindergarten in Memphis. 

Eight of my sweet students spoke no or very little English upon entering my class, and I didn’t speak Spanish, but by May we were so connected.  I decided to plan a huge Cinco De Mayo party in my class. I met with their parents and they eagerly helped plan the event. My students’ parents prepared all the food and it was the most amazing Mexican food I had ever tasted!  We had everything from soups to tacos! It became a tradition every year in my class!  

We integrated the history of Cinco De Mayo in reading, writing, math, social studies, and science. It was such an amazing time for my students and me alike! We learned so many things about Mexican culture.  My students enjoyed every moment, but the finale of food and music was the best part of it all! 

Boston Butt Quesadillas with Liquid Gold

Prep Time: Smoked for 10 hours (precooked for this meal)
Cook Time:  3.5 hours

Ingredients

½ portion of Boston Butt (pre-smoked and cooked) 
3 poblano peppers
3 red and 3 yellow sweet peppers
One white onion (cut in half)
1 garlic clove
fresh thyme
Beef Bone Broth or Stock (mine is made from Oxtails!)
3 bay leaves
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp smoked paprika
2 tsp black pepper
large tortillas (I use tomato basil)
1 small bag Mexican shredded cheese

Preparation

Place meat into a deep skillet, cast iron if you have it. Place all the vegetables on top and on the sides of the meat. Pour in broth until completely covered. Place lid on top and allow to simmer for 2 hours. Check and stir every thirty minutes.

After two hours, pour all liquid and vegetables into a blender and puree. Shred meat and pour puree onto the meat and allow to simmer for 1 hour. Salt to taste. Add cheese and meat inside the tortilla and fry in a lightly greased skillet. Flip until golden brown on both sides. Garnish the quesadilla with chopped white onions and avocado slices, plus jalapenos if you’re brave.

Save some of the jus from the simmering meat pot and place some in a frying pan with 1 TB of oil. Get the skillet good and hot then crack eggs into the hot pan and cook for 30-45 seconds, gently flip, and cook the same on the other side. 

The jus and egg are LIQUID GOLD. Use it to dip your quesadilla in before every bite!

 Black “Beane” & Mexican Style Corn

Prep Time:  10 min.
Cook Time:  20 minutes 

Ingredients

1 can of black beans (rinsed and drained)
1 frozen bag of Mexican style corn 
Salt (1 tsp or to taste)
Coarse black pepper (1 tsp or to taste)
Garlic pepper (1 teaspoon)

Preparation

Mix everything in a saucepan. Allow to simmer.

Kale & Broccoli Slaw

Prep Time:  10 minutes
Cook Time:  10 minutes

Ingredients

1 bag fresh Kale
1 bag fresh broccoli 
1 bag shredded Carrots
1 bag shredded brussels sprouts
3 tsp mayonnaise
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp black pepper

Preparation:

Mix everything and refrigerate.

The Artist’s Palate: Hawaiian Chicken with Wild Rice

This meal is beautiful on the plate and was inspired by my youngest daughter Zoe, an artist with an amazing eye for style and color. 

To know Zoe is to love her. She likes dressing up and looking her best every day. As a baby and until this day, she does not like to just sit around in her pajamas. She has always liked getting up and getting her day started and spending hours painting. I think everyone in our family owns large and small canvases created by Zoe Taylor.  

Zoe always loved food and eats with her eyes. If it doesn’t look pretty on her plate, she will not dare try it. At a football game last year, she reluctantly tried a chicken kabob that had pineapples on it. She loved it! She devoured it and asked me to make them at home. Of course, as requested, I made kabobs on the grill, but because they were so good, I wanted to make it as part of healthy meal prep.  

I decided to cook chicken tenderloins (or you can slice chicken breasts) with the same marinade, and as a side, I added wild rice loaded with fresh onions, garlic, carrots, and broccoli. I was a little worried about Zoe liking it because it did not look like the kabobs that she was accustomed to enjoying. Well, she tried and loved it, and now it’s a go-to meal for the entire family.    

This meal is simple, quick, healthy, and tasty! And pretty! The entire family enjoys it and it tastes even better the next day.  

Hawaiian Chicken

Prep Time: 15 minutes 

Cook Time:  Approximately 30 minutes 

Ingredients

6 chicken tenderloins (or butterflied chicken breasts) 
1 can of pineapple chunks
1 cup soy sauce
2 TB brown sugar
2 tsp garlic, minced
1 tsp blackened seasoning
1 tsp black pepper
3 TB olive oil

Preparations

Rinse chicken and butterfly breasts, if using instead of tenderloins. Massage olive oil into each tenderloin. Mix all dry seasonings and massage over chicken. Heat skillet with oil. Add chicken to skillet and brown quickly on both sides. Add pineapple and remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Let simmer, flipping chicken after 2.5 minutes. Simmer until sauce thickens and chicken is thoroughly cooked.

Loaded Wild Rice

Prep Time:  15 minutes

Cook Time:  25 minutes 

Ingredients

Box of wild rice (your choice)
3 TB sesame oil
1 tsp salt, to taste
1 tsp coarse black pepper
1 tsp garlic, minced
2 cups broccoli 
1 large white onion, diced
1 cup carrots, diced

Preparation

Fully cook rice according to package directions. Heat oil in a separate frying pan, but be careful not to overheat sesame oil as it has a low burn point. Add all veggies and seasonings and cook until tender. Drain rice completely and add to the frying pan. Fold all ingredients together. 

Finding the Past: Abyssinia Restaurant and Ethiopian Cuisine

Ethiopian food is the ultimate in living off the land.

Last year, I began a quest to find healthy food that tastes amazing. My adventure led me and my family to a little Memphis restaurant called Abyssinia.

My search for yummy flavors included a couple of requirements: plant-based yet satisfying, so that I did not feel like I was missing out. And when my family found Abyssinia, we knew we had reached our destination.

We found a group of people who immediately started talking to my husband in their native language because they were sure he was Ethiopian! They did a double-take at my youngest daughter, assuming she must be as well. 

With such a love for cooking, I could not resist the temptation to try learning and creating these wonderful dishes myself. This food made us search our minds, the world, as well as our past, and we instantly fell in love with the beauty of Ethiopia’s rich history and amazing food.

There is a reason why Ethiopia has been described as the land of bread and honey. Grains, including sorghum, millet, teff, and wheat, all grow well in the temperate climate. And honey, collected by ancient beekeeping techniques, is used in everyday meals.

Every time I went to the restaurant, I would engage the chef, a beautiful kind woman whose skin and face looked like royalty. She and her husband delighted in my interest and shared their recipes, step by step. 

They sell a spice mix called “berbere,” red lentils, green lentils, and shiro which is powdered chickpeas. I explained to them what I had already learned, and they laughed in astonishment!  The husband said, “Wow, you really have been studying and you are serious!” 

He gave me ghee right out of the kitchen and explained the importance of getting the cabbage right! He was so enthused he gave me a turmeric that he proclaimed was the “right kind.”

After searching out spices, recipes, YouTube videos, and relying heavily on the nice people from my favorite Ethiopian restaurant, I finally built up enough nerve and motivation to try it.

My family absolutely loved it, and so do I!  We could taste the unique flavors that only Ethiopian food could provide. Now, at least monthly, this is a part of our dinner menu. When my girls smell the red onions, ghee, and berbere simmering, they know I’m prepping for an Ethiopian meal. 

Cooking Ethiopian is a true labor of love – seriously! - because you are constantly mixing, turning, and adding until the food is complete. The only thing that I’ve not attempted is injera (Ethiopian bread) which is served with everything they cook. It is a process that I’m scared to attempt on my own. As a result, I normally purchase spinach and herb soft tortilla as our substitute at home. 

On my plate, you will find my rendition of Yedora Key Wot - stewed chicken with a variety of spices, red peppers, onions, garlic, ginger, pure filtered butter (ghee) with feta cheese (they normally have homemade cottage cheese); Zil Zil Tubes (sliced prime sirloin sautéed with red and white onions, garlic, Berbera, and ghee); cabbage (made with turmeric and other spices),  collard greens (simmered with a variety of Ethiopian spices); red lentils (a variety of spices); and Shiro (chickpeas with red onions, and a variety of spices). 

The spices are like none that you’ve ever tasted before - but you will want more, for sure!    

So, are you up for an adventure in food? Are you ready to take a journey of your own?

Find the food, and you can find your past.

A Southern Meal Fit for a Queen: Short Ribs and More

This dish is one of my personal favorites. If you have never enjoyed short ribs cooked the right way, you haven’t lived! 

The marble in the meat gives the beef the best flavor ever.   

It’s all about the technique because you can put any seasoning on them, but if you don’t practice the art of cooking, you will never  get them “fork tender” with the bone still attached! 

I normally cook them with homemade cheddar mashed potatoes, but when I want to stay away from potatoes, lima beans are a perfect substitute. 

I also cooked turnip greens (low and slow) with oven baked sweet potatoes, and a thick piece of honey butter corn bread. 

This is a meal fit for a queen!     

Short Ribs

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time:  Approximately 2 hours

Ingredients

2 lbs. of short ribs (about 8 bones)
3 TB Mary Ann’s Rib Rub (or favorite rib seasoning)
2 TB onion powder
2 TB meat tenderizer
2 TB avocado oil
1 large Vidalia or sweet white onion, diced
1 red pepper, diced
1 green pepper, diced

Directions

Clean ribs very well with cool water on both sides and dry with a paper towel. Massage avocado oil on each rib. Sprinkle and massage Mary Ann’s Rib Seasoning on both sides and place in a roasting pan.  Add onions and peppers. Cover with foil and put in a preheated oven on 350 degrees. After an hour, remove the foil and cook for approximately 1 more hour or until fork tender.

Collard Greens

Prep Time:  25 minutes
Cook Time:  40-50 minutes

Ingredients

3 bunches of greens (Serve 4)
1 TB vegetable oil
1 tsp salt (to taste)
1 TB sugar
**smoked meat (optional for non-vegan)

Directions

Peel greens from stalk, clean and wash, and chop. Boil 3 cups of water in a larger boiler then add collard greens, salt, sugar, and oil. Simmer until greens reduce by half. Stir and simmer for about 30-40 minutes until tender.

Baked Sweet Potatoes

Prep Time:  10 minutes
Cook Time:  25 minutes

Ingredients

Small sweet potatoes
Avocado oil
Cinnamon and sugar mix (to taste)
Butter

Directions

Wash sweet potatoes with cool water. Poke holes all over each potato. Massage each potato with avocado oil and place in a baking pan. Bake in a 350 degree over for 25 until tender. Add mixture of 2 teaspoons of cinnamon and sugar, and butter.

Lima Beans

Prep Time:  10 minutes
Cook Time:  25 minutes

Ingredients

Bag of frozen lima beans
3 cups of water
2 TB onion powder
1 TB garlic powder
1 TB avocado oil
Salt (to taste)

Directions

Place all ingredients in a saucepan, bring to boil, and cook until tender.

Jamaican Flair: Southern Oxtails and a Meal with Soul

I love eating ethnic foods that represent the many corners of the world and history. So many meals can take you places that you’ve traveled - or even places that you yearn to travel.

Jamaica is close to my heart for many reasons, but mainly because it was our honeymoon spot for almost 10 days. My husband and I had the opportunity to enjoy some amazing sights and simply marvelous foods.

I enjoyed every second of watching food being cooked on a fire-kissed smoker.  Watching men and women cook in the middle of paradise, with such ease and muscle memory, reminded me of watching my grandmothers as a little girl, cooking in the kitchen as if they were creating love on a plate. I can still smell all the spices and herbs.

I enjoy creating dishes that bring back memories of great times, and this flavorful meal is a fan favorite, for sure, with my family and friends. 

I often cook oxtails, rice and peas, with fresh corn on the cobb - a meal I’ve recreated from my mother and with the flavors of Jamaica. 

Please note that I always add a little Southern twist (like any good Southern Belle).  I use crowder peas instead of pigeon peas mainly because they are extremely flavorful without much effort.  They are also easy finds at my local farmer’s market or on the frozen section of any grocery store. 

I also season foods with herbs and spices from my tiny backyard garden instead of “store bought” seasoning which tends to be high in sodium. I frequently stop at international farmer’s markets during my travels to pick up authentic spices, herbs, and vegetables that would not be found in the local grocery stores around my small town.  

It’s so funny that I’d rather be at a fresh market compared to a mall!

Here are recipes for a Southern style meal – oxtails, peas and rice, and corn on the cob - with a Jamaican flair …

Southern Style Oxtails with a Jamaican Flair

Prep: 30 mins 

Cook time: 3.5 hours

Ingredients

2 ½ pounds oxtail
1 TB Worcestershire sauce
1 TB garlic and herb seasoning
¼ tsp ground paprika
¼ tsp ground black pepper
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 bunch fresh thyme
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 bay leaf 

Directions

Clean oxtails using lemon wedges.  Wash with cold water and rub lemon wedges over the oxtails.  Place oxtail in a deep boiler completely covered in water. Fill the boiler half way to allow plenty of boil time. 

Combine Worcestershire sauce, spices and herbs (garlic and herb seasoning, paprika, and black pepper) together in the boiler on top of the water and oxtails. Add thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until oxtail is fork tender, about 3 hours. 

Uncover boiler and increase heat to high. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce reduces and thickens, about 5-10 minutes.  Add more Worcestershire sauce for browning and to taste.  

Jamaican Rice and Peas

Prep:  20 min.

Cook Time:  45 minutes

Ingredients

½ tsp unsalted butter
½ onion, diced
1 whole carrot, finely diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup rice, dry (basmati) 
1 bay leaf
½ tsp thyme
½ tsp ground black pepper
1 cup water
½ cup coconut milk (canned)
½ cup cooked crowder peas (kidney beans or pigeon peas)
½ tsp salt

Directions

Heat butter in a medium saucepan. Add onion, carrots, and garlic, and sauté 1-2 minutes over medium heat.

Add rice, bay, thyme, pepper, water, and coconut milk. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, covered, 10 minutes.

Add the beans and continue to cook, covered, until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, 8-10 minutes.

Remove the bay leaf and mix in the salt. Let the rice stand, covered, for 5 minutes to finish steaming.

Taste the rice and adjust the salt and pepper as desired. 

Fresh Corn on the Cob

Prep:  15 Minutes

Cook Time:  30 Minutes

Simply clean and boil until tender. I add 1 tsp of coconut oil to the boiling water.  Brush on a tiny bit of butter and enjoy its natural taste!