Bessie's Vegetables

Thursday, August 20, 2009

There was always a garden. Both Grandmother & Granddaddy grew up on farms. The Garcey farm that Grandmother grew up on is still in the family. Fresh corn was always available in season. For years there was a strong healthy fruit orchard to the farmhouse's south side. After Grandmother & Granddaddy were grown and married, they had a vegetable garden and chicken hut in their back yard on Bryan Street. My Great Grandfather Shell Hopson ("Pap") built wooden sidewalks, fencing and stakes for the garden.
Photo: My mother is standing in Pap's garden at 303 Bryan Street.
Betty

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Broccoli & Rice

prep
preheat 350º
spray a 2 quart casserole dish

ingredients
3 T butter
1/2 c finely chopped onion
1 broccoli blossom, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 c cooked brown rice
3/4 c parmesan cheese
4 eggs
1/2 c milk
dash freshle ground black ppepper
1/8 ground nutmeg
1/2 c shredded cheese (mozzarella or your choice)

Heat butter in a large skillet. Add onon - saute til golden, not brown (about 5 minutes). Add broccoli. Saute 2 minutes. Add garlic, rice and parmesan cheese.

Beat eggs. Add milk, pepper and nutmeg. Combine with broccoli mixture off the heat. Turn into buttered casserole dish. Top with shredded cheese. Cover and bake 20 to 35 minutes.

Cauliflower Casserole

prep:
preheat 350º
spray casserole dish
ingredients:
1 head cauliflower (cut, boiled, drained)
1 chicken boullion cube
1 T sugar
1/2 t pepper
1 medium onion finely chopped
16 oz can sliced tomatoes
1/2 stick butter
1/2 salt
1 c Ritz cracker crumbs
1.5 c sharp cheese
Cut the cauliflower into floweretts and cook in salt & boullion water for 5 minutes. Drain. In a small skill, brown the butter sugar, pepper & cracker crumbs. Stir tomatoes, onion, cheese butter mixture, and cauliflower into casserole dish. Bake 1 hr.

Cheese Grits & Corn

prep:

preheat 350º

spray 1.5 qt souffle/casserole dish

ingredients:

.5 c quick cook grits

1 T chicken bouillon powder or cube

.25 c finely chopped onions

.5 c finely shredded cheddar cheese

.5 c whole milk

2 slightly beaten eggs

8 oz shoepeg corn

Step 1 - Combine 1/5 c water, grits and chicken bouillon in a bowl. Let stand 5 minutes.

Step 2 - Prepare the remaining ingredients.

Add both of these mixtures together. Pour into souffle dish.

Bake 40 to 45 minutes, stirring twice during the baking time.

Serves 4.

Eggplant Baked with Tomato

prep
preheat 300º
grease a 2 qt casserole dish

ingredients
1 large eggplant
6 large ripe tomatoes
5 medium onions
chopped parsley
parmesan cheese
salt & pepper (freshing ground)
olive oil
optional (a minced glove of garlic in each tomato layer)

Peel the eggplant and slice thinly. Salt each slice (both sides) and pile them together. Let the slices absorb the salt for 30 minutes. This will rid the eggplant of its bitter tang. Peel and slice your tomatoes and onions.

Layer your casserole dish, alternating a layer of eggplant, a layer of onion, then tomato. Top with a layer of eggplant. Bake for about 2 hours, basting juices from the bottom to the top and 30 minutes.

When done generously sprinkle with parmesan cheese and garnish with parsley. Alternative garnish: basil in each tomato layer

Green Beans & Bacon

Ingredients:
5 slices of bacon
medium sized onion chop
one or two cans of green beans (or one #2 can)
.25 t salt
pepper to taste

Prep:
Fry out the bacon and set aside. Toss the chopped onion in the hot bacon grease & saute until lightly brown. Drain the juice from the beans into the bacon drippings. You will add the liquid from the canned green beans to the skillet. Boil this liquid of grease, onions & bean water till half down. Add beans, salt & pepper and heat thoroughly. Garnish with broken bacon strips before serving.

Twice Baked Potatoes

prep:
preheat oven to 350º

2.5 lbs potatoes
salt to taste
4 T margarine
1/3 c finely chopped onion
1 T prepared mustard
3/4 oz parmesan cheese
1/4 to 1/2 c evaporated milk
1 to 2 drops Tabasco sauce
5 oz grated cheddar cheese
paprika for garnish

Wash potatoes and bake till done. Carefully cut off the top of the baked potatoes and scoop out the potato, leaving the skins in tack.

Saute the onions in butter. Add to the potato. Mix well. Now add the mustard, parmesan, milk & Tabasco. Blend well. Add salt to taste. Portion the mashed potatoes back into the potato skins. Bake until hot & cheese has melted, 20 - 30 minutes.

Bessie's Vegetables

Pap's Garden, 1924/CLICK PHOTO

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Au Gratin Potatoes

Cheese Sauce

Black Bean Bake

Broccoli Casserole

Broccoli & Rice

Cauliflower Casserole

Cheese Grits & Corn

Cranberry Sauce

Eggplant Baked with Tomato

Fried Green Tomatoes

Green Beans & Bacon

Grilled Potatoes

Grits Casserole

Honey Baked Carrots

Red Cabbage

Rice Variations

Roasted Corn on the Cob

Sweet Potatoes

Sweet Sour Cabbage

Twice Baked Potatoes

Twice Baked Potato Casserole

Shell Hopson (1852-1937)

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