​In my role as librarian at the Signal Mountain Library, we daily examine book donations that we regularly receive from generous patrons. Some of these we access into our collection, and others we add to our used book sale in the Library’s lower level.

Recently my dear friend Anne was cleaning out her bookshelves and graciously offered her gleanings to the Library. To my delight, among the well-read classics and newer fiction, were several seasoned Middle Georgia cookbooks and small compilations of recipes from Macon, where I lived as a young bride. These latter items gave me an idea to share with our readers some of the popular dishes that were frequently served at luncheons in the late sixties and early seventies. It was truly rewarding to reflect on those times when life seemed to be at a slower pace, and my friends and I actually had time to prepare homemade breads and desserts for bridge parties, garden club functions, and potluck dinner parties.

I found that the directions included with the ingredients were often rather inscrutable. For example, “Lillie’s Fried Chicken” called for frying a half of an Irish potato along with the meat with no explanation of why or what to do with the potato after the chicken is done.

Some of the recipes below are from women with whom I went to college at Wesleyan, while others are from great cooks that are no longer with us. These selections would still make a great luncheon menu and are quite easy to prepare.

Let’s begin with a recipe for a drink that could accompany a brunch or luncheon and is named for the beautiful trees that grace many a Macon garden.

Magnolias

• 12 ounces orange juice
• 12 ounces champagne
• 1 ½ ounces Grand Marnier
• Ice cubes
• Sprigs of mint, for garnishing

Combine and serve in large wine glasses, garnished with orange wedges and a sprig of mint. Makes 4 servings.

Next is a dish that is perfect for warm summer days when good tomatoes are available.

Iced Chicken Breasts

• 8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 (10 ½-ounce) cans chicken broth
• 3-ounces cream cheese, plain or chives
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 1/2 Tsp. lemon zest
• 1/4 Tsp. salt
• 1 finely chopped green onion, both
• white and green parts
• Crisp Bibb lettuce leaves
• 2-3 large tomatoes, peeled and chilled
• Salt and pepper
• 2 large avocados
• 1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds or
• pecans
• Sliced olives, green or ripe
• Vinaigrette dressing

Cook chicken in broth until tender. Refrigerate in broth to cool.

Thoroughly mix cream cheese, mayonnaise, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and green onion.

Remove chicken from broth and pat dry. Completely coat the rounded side of each breast with the cream cheese dressing.

Arrange lettuce leaves on eight plates. Cut tomatoes into eight thick slices and place on lettuce; sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Arrange a chicken breast on each tomato slice. Halve and peel the avocados, cut each into four slices and arrange beside chicken. Sprinkle chicken with toasted nuts and garnish with olives.  Serve with vinaigrette dressing on the side. Makes eight servings.

The following recipe is for a carrot salad that is a great accompaniment to the creamy chicken above. I bet you remember this and hope you will enjoy resurrecting this favorite from the sixties.

Copper Penny Salad

• 2 pounds carrots, thinly sliced
• 1 small, sweet onion
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 Tsp. prepared mustard
• 1 (5 1/2-ounce) can tomato juice
• 1 Tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste

Cook carrot in salted water until tender. Drain and mix with onion and green pepper.

Mix remaining ingredients and pour over vegetables. Marinate overnight. Serve chilled. Makes eight servings.
The next recipe is titled “Nanny’s Angel Biscuits,” but I often make it into slightly fancier Parker House-style rolls, brushed with butter and folded over. You can also make the dough into delicious cinnamon pinwheels by adding one cup of sugar to the dry ingredients and rolling out dough into a rectangle. Then brush the dough with butter and sprinkle with cinnamon and more sugar, roll it up and slice it into pinwheels. Bake as described below. I have even made it into orange or lemon rolls by substituting zest and a small amount of juice for the cinnamon.

Nanny’s Angel Biscuits

• 2 packages regular yeast
• 3 to 4 Tbsp. warm water
• 1 Tbsp. sugar
• 4 1/2 cups flour
• 1 cup shortening
• 1 Tsp. baking soda
• 3 Tsp. baking powder
• 1 1/2 Tsp. salt
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 1/2 cup melted butter

Dissolve yeast in warm water. Sift together the dry ingredients. Cut shortening into dry ingredients using fingers to rub it until it is well combined.

Add yeast and buttermilk and stir until well mixed. Add enough flour to knead into a smooth mass.  On floured surface, roll out dough and cut into desired shapes.

Place biscuits close together on baking sheet and brush with melted butter. Let rise until double in bulk in a warm, draft-free space.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and bake until lightly browned. Serve hot or cool, cover tightly with foil, and freeze. (If you don’t want to use it all at once, unbaked dough will keep for several days in refrigerator.) Makes about two and a half dozen biscuits or rolls.

This last recipe makes a yummy dessert. It calls for Italian Amaretti cookies, available at World Market and online. Well wrapped, these little treats may be frozen for at least a month, ready for an unexpected guest or a late-night treat.

Biscuit Tortoni

• 1/2 cup crushed Amaretti
• 1/2 cup sliced toasted almonds
• 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 3 Tbsp. dark rum
• Maraschino cherries, for topping.

​Mix Amaretti and most of the almonds, saving some for garnishing. Add sugar and one cup of cream. Whip remaining cream and fold it and the rum gently into the first mixture. Spoon into paper muffin cups and freeze. After two hours, sprinkle the tops with remaining almonds and decorate each center with a cherry. Return to freezer. Makes six to eight servings.

The beginning of spring found me out in the yard, trying to beat into submission the overgrowth that had taken over my garden. It wasn’t without rewards, though: Beneath the weeds that sprouted from bird seed and the poison ivy that sprouted as soon as my back was turned, lay the remains of what was once a pretty nice garden. And so it was - again.

The first order of business for this cook was, of course, an herb garden. The largest of the beds was just right for that. It’s in full sun from early morning until mid-afternoon and isn’t too far from a water source and the kitchen. Since its soil was compacted and mostly barren, all it needed to be made ready was to pull up a couple of dandelions, turn and aerate the soil, and supplement it with a little fresh potting soil and fertilizer.
My fingers and toes are crossed: I didn’t inherit my dad’s green thumb, and he’s no longer here to guide me; my luck with potted herbs has always been hit or miss. But so far, my beds of basil, lavender, rosemary, oregano, parsley, sage and thyme is taking root.

As summer heat sets in, it will be time to take a breather from garden archeology and spend time out of the sun bonding with my kitchen to use the fruits - and veggies - of my labor, the primary focus being on all the wonderful summer squashes I’ve been able to harvest from my garden and area farmer’s markets, along with my bountiful basil and trustworthy thyme plants.

One advantage of age and experience is that one can just cook and know when to leave well enough alone, in this case: squash casserole. There’s no need to gussy it up. Mother Nature provides enough seasoning in her summer produce as it is. Just a little salt and pepper - and as any Southerner knows, cheese, a necessary ingredient in any squash casserole - is all you need to turn the gourds of summer into a masterpiece on the table.


Summer Squash Casserole with Gruyere and Thyme

• 1 1/2 pounds yellow summer squash 
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• Salt
• Sugar
• 2 slices white sandwich bread, crust
• removed, torn into soft crumbs
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2-3 Tsp. chopped fresh thyme
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup grated Gruyere
• 3 Tbsp. dry breadcrumbs

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat it to 350 degrees. Scrub the squash under cold running water and drain them. Trim the ends and slice them a little less than 1/4-inch thick. If they’re really fat, split them lengthwise before slicing them.

Put a tablespoon of the butter in a lidded 9-to 10-inch skillet over medium-low heat. Cover the bottom with the onion. Lightly sprinkle it with salt, then top with a single layer of squash, season lightly with salt and, especially if the squash aren’t very fresh and naturally sweet, a pinch of sugar. Add the remaining squash and season lightly with salt and sugar. Cover and cook until they’re tender, about eight minutes, checking occasionally to make sure the natural moisture they’ve produced doesn’t completely evaporate. If it does, add a splash of water, as needed.

 Lightly butter a 1 1/2- quart casserole. Cover the bottom with half of the soft crumbs. Spread half the squash and onions over them, season lightly with pepper, then scatter half the thyme and the remaining soft crumbs over them. Add the remaining squash and onions, season with pepper, and sprinkle it with the rest of the thyme.

Break the egg into a 2- to 4-cup measuring cup or bowl and lightly beat it. Add the milk and a pinch of salt and beat until smoothly mixed, then pour it evenly over the casserole until it just covers the squash (you may not need quite all of it). Sprinkle the Gruyere over the top.

Wipe out the skillet in which the squash and onion were cooked and put in the remaining butter. Melt it over medium-low heat, then sprinkle in the dry breadcrumbs and stir until they’re evenly coated. Stir it over the heat for about a minute, not letting the crumbs get crispy - just warm and buttered - then turn off the heat and sprinkle the crumbs over the casserole. Bake in the center of the oven until puffed, set at the center, and golden brown, about half an hour. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes. Makes about four servings.

Contact Anne Braly at [email protected] or annebraly.com.

“Southern Cocktails” by Southern Living. IPG. 288 Pages. $30.

A new cookbook from Southern Living focuses on drinks that are popular with Southerners, both alcoholic and not. Most of these beverages are familiar to cocktail lovers but have a regional twist. They are examples of the current “craft cocktail craze,” according to Gary Crunkleton, owner of several bars in North Carolina and who wrote the foreword to this volume.

The book opens with examples of the shapes of glasses that traditionally hold these libations. Then the essential tools to make these drinks, including muddlers, jiggers, cocktail shakers, and ice picks are pictured. Next come types of garnishes, from pickled okra and cocktail onions to citrus twists and candied fruits.

Additionally, according to the book, the art of rimming your glass with salts or sugars is intended to “enhance, not overpower,” and there are multiple recipes for creating these enhancements. There are also instructions for making a variety of syrups, how to make and use bitters, and even how to create homemade grenadine.

Here are three spiked concoctions that are favorites. The first one was invented in the 60s but is still being enjoyed on Crimson Tide game days.


Alabama Slammer

• Citrus rim salt
• 1 ounce Southern Comfort
• 1 ounce amaretto
• 1/2 ounce sloe gin
• 3 ounces fresh orange juice
• 1/2 ounce fresh lemon juice

Citrus Rim Salt

• 2 Tbsp. lemon or orange zest 
• 1/2 cup kosher salt

Process the zest and 1/4 cup salt in a food processor until finely ground. Stir in the remaining salt. Evenly spread the mixture on a rimmed baking sheet, and let stand at room temperature until dry, about two hours. 

Store in airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one year. To serve, moisten rim of glass and dip in mixture.

Rim a highball glass with the rim salt; fill a glass with ice. Combine the Southern Comfort, amaretto, sloe gin, and orange and lemon juices in an ice-filled cocktail shaker. Cover with the lid, and shake vigorously until thoroughly chilled, about 20 seconds. Strain into the prepared glass. Garnish with an orange wedge and Maraschino cherry. Makes one serving.

This next drink is similar to a gimlet, but calls for the minty, citrusy, and flowery notes of this particular brand of gin.


Southside Seersucker

• 6 fresh mint leaves, plus more for
• garnish
• 3/4 ounce simple syrup
• 2 ounces Seersucker Southern Style Gin
• 1/2 ounce fresh lime juice

Muddle six mint leaves and the syrup in a cocktail shaker. Fill the shaker with ice and add the gin and lime juice. Cover with the lid, and shake vigorously until chilled, about 20 seconds. Strain into a chilled old-fashioned glass with additional mint leaves, if desired. Makes one serving.

The following drink, also a luscious dessert, is often served at the Flora-Bama Lounge in Perdido Key, Fla.

Redneck Riviera Bushwacker

• 1 -1/2 ounces white rum
• 1 ounce coconut rum
• 1 ounce Kahlúa
• 1 ounce crème de cacao
• 1 scoop vanilla bean ice cream
• 1 cup ice

Process the white and coconut rums, Kahlúa, crème de cacao, ice cream, and ice in a blender until smooth. Pour the mixture into a hurricane glass, and garnish with whipped cream and chocolate syrup. Serve with a straw or iced tea spoon.  Makes one serving.

So popular today that there are establishments that serve only “virgin” drinks, non-alcoholic mocktails follow. Next is a spin on a Moscow Mule.


Pineapple Mock Mule

• 2 Tsp. herb rim salt made with fresh
• mint
• 2 ice cubes plus more for glass
• 2 (1/4-inch thick) fresh ginger slices
• 2 ounces pineapple juice
• 1/2 ounce white balsamic vinegar
• 4 ounces nonalcoholic ginger beer
• Garnish: pineapple wedge

Herb Rim Salt

• 1/2 cup fresh, tender herbs, such as basil, mint or cilantro
• 1 cup coarse kosher salt 

     
Process the herbs and salt in a food processor until the herbs are finely chopped and the mixture is combined. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.

Rim a highball glass with the herb rim sugar using mint. Fill the prepared glass with ice.
Muddle the ginger, pineapple juice, and vinegar in a cocktail shaker. Add two ice cubes, cover with the lid, and shake vigorously until thoroughly chilled, about 30 seconds. Strain into the prepared glass. Top with the ginger beer.

“Southern Cocktails” concludes with a good selection of what it dubs “bar snacks. These hors d’oeuvres are sure to be devoured by your guests and will enhance whatever spiked and non-spiked libations you choose to serve.

What turns traditional stuffed grape leaves into these Southern gems is that they feature Vidalia onions and pecans.

Down South Dolmades

• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 3/4 cups finely chopped Vidalia onion (1 medium onion)
• 3 garlic cloves, minced (about 1 Tbsp.)
• 1 cup uncooked white rice
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1-1/2 cups water
• 1-1/2 Tsp. kosher salt
• 1/2 Tsp. Greek seasoning
• 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
• 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh mint
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
• 1 Tsp. lemon zest plus 3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
• 1/2 (16-ounce) jar grape leaves, rinsed and patted dry (36 leaves)
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 325.

Heat two tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add the onion and garlic; cook, stirring often, until translucent, four to five minutes. Add the rice and pecans; cook, stirring often, until coated and slightly toasted, one to two minutes. Add the water, salt, and Greek seasoning. Cover and bring to a simmer; reduce the heat to low, and simmer 12 minutes. Stir in the parsley, mint, dill, and lemon zest. Cook slightly, 10 to 15 minutes.

Arrange a row of the grape leaves, vein-side up, on a work surface. Place 1-1/2 tablespoons of the rice mixture just below the center of each leaf. Fold the bottom of the leaf up and over the filling, and fold sides in toward the center, gently roll up (Do not wrap too tightly.)

Transfer the rolls, seam-side down, to a 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Bring the stock to a simmer in a saucepan over high. Pour over the rolled grape leaves in the dish. Drizzle with the lemon juice. Top with another 13-by-9-inch baking dish or an overproof heavy plate to weigh down slightly, cover with aluminum foil, and bake at 325 for 45 minutes. Remove from the cooking liquid, and pat dry. Drizzle the rolls with 1/4 cup of the extra-virgin olive oil and serve at room temperature. Makes 12 servings.

Blue Cheese-and-Pecan Stuffed Cherry Peppers

• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 2 1/3 ounces crumbled blue cheese (about 6 Tbsp.)
• 6 Tbsp. heavy cream
• 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp. finely chopped toasted pecans
• 3 (16-ounce jars) cherry peppers,​ drained (50 to 60 cherry peppers)
• 2 Tbsp. thinly sliced fresh chives

Place the cream cheese, blue cheese, and heavy cream in a medium bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until well blended and light and fluffy. Stir in 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans. Spoon the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a 3/4-inch-wide tip, and pipe about one tablespoon of the mixture into the open end of each pepper. Place the peppers on a platter, and sprinkle with the remaining two tablespoons pecans. Sprinkle the chives evenly over the stuffed peppers. Serve immediately, or chill until ready to serve. Makes 20 servings.

A big bowl of potato salad can be the star of any cookout, and is there any better time to serve it than during the lazy days of summer? Each creamy bite pairs perfectly with most any grilled meat, poultry or fish. But oftentimes, it’s so heavily dressed with mayonnaise that the delicate flavor of the potatoes is often masked.

So let’s take a look at a potato salad that’s not so heavily laden with dressing. French Potato Salad has the basic components of Salade Niçoise and is almost as simple to make as a tossed salad with oil and vinegar dressing. It’s one of the great dishes of French home cooking and is also one of the greatest of all summer salads.

I was fortunate enough to enjoy some on my plate when I was in Paris earlier this year. Our hostess lived in a lovely old apartment along the Champs-Elysees, and how gracious she was to entertain us in her garden! It was a lovely autumn day and, along with some beautiful Dover sole, she served her potato salad, the recipe for which she was generous enough to share.

There is also a mayonnaise-dressed potato salad in the French repertory of recipes that’s similar to our American version, but this one seemed so much more appropriate, especially with the delicate Dover sole. The secret to its lovely, mellow flavor is that the hot, cooked potatoes are sprinkled with dry white vermouth, which is allowed to soak into them before they’re dressed. 

After that, they’re simply dressed with wine vinegar, good olive oil, salt, and pepper, just as you would a tossed salad. Nothing could be simpler or lovelier.
​
As with any good salad, there are no exact measurements for the dressing ingredients. So much will depend on your taste, the acidity and character of the vinegar, and, of course, the olive oil. Let your taste, rather than a measuring cup, be your guide. 


French Potato Salad

• 1 1/2 pounds small red new potatoes
• Dry white vermouth
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Red wine vinegar
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions or
• minced shallots
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

Put one-inch water in a pot fitted with a steamer basket or steamer insert. Cover and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Scrub the potatoes well under cold running water, then slice them 1/4-inch thick and put them in the steamer basket of the prepared pot. Steam until the potatoes are just-tender, eight to 10 minutes. Let cool slightly. Transfer the potatoes to a bowl and sprinkle lightly with vermouth. Toss well and sprinkle again. Let stand a few minutes. While still warm, season with salt and pepper to taste and sprinkle lightly with vinegar. Toss. Taste and adjust the vinegar. Drizzle lightly with oil and gently toss until glossy but not greasy looking.

Add the green onion or shallot and one tablespoon parsley and toss well. Let stand 15-30 minutes, taste, adjust the dressing, and toss one last time. Serve at room temperature sprinkled with remaining parsley. Makes four servings.

Contact Anne Braly at [email protected] or annebraly.com

“Love and Lemons: Simple Feel-Good Food: 125 Plant-Forward Meals to Enjoy Now or Make Ahead” by Jeanine Donofrio. Avery. 272 Pages. $35.
​
This is the latest beautiful cookbook by Jeanine Donofrio, and it once again brings readers amazing plant-based recipes. The author is famous for her easy-to-prepare dishes that call for familiar vegetables, and here she has come up with two approaches to cooking. “At the Ready” designates recipes that can be prepared in 45 minutes or less, while “In Advance” presents ones that require prepping ahead, and many may be frozen and be ready to pop into the oven.

Just like her earlier books, this one is full of stunning photographs that will definitely make you want to try the recipes. One example is the recipe for Veggie Tacos, which is illustrated by a photo of the completed product as well as several suggested vegetable fillings and yummy-looking sauces.

There are also recipes that call for a common ingredient that may be used again for two subsequent meals. So, you could take wedges of red cabbage and sear them until tender in a little olive oil and serve them with a creamy yogurt sauce and green harissa sauce on a bed of hummus. The remainder of the cabbage can be pickled and used to prepare Loaded Pita Nachos the next night and Chickpea Tacos later that week. Other “3-in-1” meals star broccoli, zucchini, corn, rice, lentils, beans, or greens.

Here are some tempting recipes that may make you want to consider being a vegetarian, if only for a couple of nights a week. The first recipe has the same creaminess that risotto does but is much quicker to prepare. You can also substitute whatever veggies you have, such as grilled zucchini or sautéed broccoli.


Creamy Orzo with Asparagus and Peas

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 leeks, white and light green parts,
• chopped (3 cups)
• 1 Tsp. sea salt
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 2 garlic cloves, grated
• 12 ounces orzo pasta
• 3 1/2 to 4 cups vegetable broth
• 2 Tsp. lemon zest, more for garnish
• 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and
• chopped into 1-inch pieces
• 3/4 cup frozen peas
• 2 Tsp. fresh lemon juice, plus wedges
• for serving
• Fresh herbs (basil and/or tarragon)
• Microgreens, for garnish (optional)
• Freshly ground black pepper

Heat three tablespoons of the olive oil in a medium Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the leeks, 3/4 teaspoon of salt, and several grinds of pepper and cook for five minutes, or until softened. Stir in the wine and let it cook down for 30 seconds. Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic, orzo, and three cups of the broth. Stir, cover, and let cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Uncover and stir in the lemon zest and another 1/2 cup of the broth. Cook, stirring, over low heat for two to four minutes, or until the mixture is creamy and the orzo is cooked through.

Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Drop the asparagus and peas into the boiling water and blanch for a minute or two, until tender but still bright green. Drain, transfer to a kitchen towel, and pat dry. Transfer the vegetables to a large bowl and toss with the remaining one tablespoon olive oil, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, the lemon juice, and several grinds of pepper.

Before serving, check the orzo’s consistency. If it has thickened too much, stir in the remaining 1/2 cup broth. Portion the orzo into bowls and top with the vegetable mixture. Garnish with fresh herbs, lemon zest, and microgreens, if using. Season to taste and serve with lemon wedges, Makes four servings.

The following recipe is the first of three that call for zucchini and is from the 3-in-1 section of the book.


Farro Stuffed Zucchini

Farro Filling:

• 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, grated
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 Tsp. lemon zest
• 2 cups cooked farro
• 1/3 cup golden raisins
• 1/4 cup kalamata olives, pitted and
• chopped
• 2 Tbsp. pine nuts
• 1/2 Tsp. sea salt
• Pinch of red pepper flakes
• Freshly ground black pepper

Whipped Feta:

• 1 (8-ounce) block feta cheese
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp. water

Grilled Zucchini:

• 4 medium zucchini
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, for garnish
• 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, for garnish
• Sea salt and ground black pepper

Make the farro filling: In a medium bowl, combine the olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, farro, raisins, olives, pine nuts, salt, red pepper flakes, and several grinds of pepper and toss to coat.

Make the whipped feta: In a food processor, place the feta, olive oil, lemon juice, and water. Pulse until creamy.

Prepare the zucchini: Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium heat. Slice the zucchini in half lengthwise and scoop out the flesh, leaving a 1/4- inch-thick shell. Measure one cup of the scooped zucchini flesh and reserve in the fridge for Zucchini Lemon Pasta, the second meal in the 3-in-1 meal plan. Drizzle the zucchini shells with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the zucchini cut side down for three minutes, or until char marks form. Turn and grill for about three minutes more.

Spread one heaping tablespoon of the whipped feta into each grilled zucchini shell. Spoon the farro filling into the zucchini, garnish with the basil and mint leaves, and serve. Makes four servings.

The last recipe is for a dessert that is both vegan and gluten-free.

Freezer Carrot Cake Bars

Carrot Layer:

• 12 soft Medjool dates, pitted
• 1 1/2 cups chopped carrots
• 1 cup shredded coconut
• 1 cup walnuts
• 1 Tsp. cinnamon
• ½ Tsp. nutmeg
• Heaping 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Cashew Frosting Layer:

• 1 1/2 cups raw cashews*
• 1/2 cup full-fat coconut milk
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1 Tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Line a 9-by 5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.

Make the carrot layer: If your dates are not soft, soak them in a small bowl of warm water for five to 10 minutes. Pat dry before using.

In a food processor, add the dates, carrots, coconut, walnuts, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Pulse until the mixture sticks together when pinched.

Make the cashew frosting layer: In a high-speed blender, place the cashews, coconut milk, maple syrup, lemon juice, vanilla, and salt and blend until smooth and creamy.

Press the carrot mixture firmly into the prepared pan. Spread the cashew mixture on top. Freeze for eight hours or overnight. Slice into bars. If they’re too firm, let them sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving.

Makes eight servings.


*If you’re not using a high-speed blender, soak the cashews for at least four hours, or overnight, before blending them. You may need to blend the frosting longer to achieve a smooth and creamy texture.

Is there a sweeter, more-anticipated time of year than strawberry season? May is officially National Strawberry Month, and what better way to celebrate than visiting a local farmer’s market or venturing out to a pick-your-own farm, such as Smith-Perry Berries in Ooltewah, and bring home a bushel?
​
Strawberries have always figured prominently on Southern tables earlier in the year than for most of the rest of the country. And we’re fortunate for that.

Commercially produced berries from California, Mexico and South America are available year-round, but the only ones really worth bothering about are the local berries that are gathered at their peak.

While such wonders are available to us, you don’t need a recipe to make the best strawberry dessert ever devised: just pick the sweetest and ripest berries, wash and core them and put them into individual serving bowls; put some a sugar bowl on the table for each person to sprinkle on to taste, and pass with it a pitcher of thick, heavy cream. You’ll hear no complaints coming from your family.

But when there’s company and you want something a tad bit fancier, you can take almost exactly the same ingredients and, with a bare minimum of effort, dress them up into a luscious fruit fool.

It isn’t what you’re thinking it is: The word “fool” can actually mean several things other than one of your in-laws or a member of an opposing political party. In this case, it’s an ancient English dessert, one that’s a simple, yet sumptuous, confection of whipped cream and fruit. It was once a popular dessert, but not seen too often anymore, if at all. And that’s a shame. There are few days that I don’t get an email from some food website touting vintage family recipes, but never have I seen one for a fruit fool.

Sometimes the fruit for a fool is cooked before it’s folded into the whipped cream, but here, the only “cooking” that the berries spend a couple of minutes in a bowl with sugar and a little whiskey, or, if they’re not very acidic, a spoonful of the juice from the orange since the recipe calls for the zest only.

Incidentally, this recipe is from an old ledger stored along with family papers and other important documents that were passed down to me from my great-grandparents in Virginia. The ledger is filled with budgets, expenses and this recipe for Strawberry Fool. It makes me smile when I read through it and wonder why the recipe is included among the monthly household accounts. I can only imagine that it must have been pretty important and a go-to favorite when strawberry season was in full swing.


Strawberry Fool 

• 1 pint strawberries
• Sugar
• 2 Tbsp. bourbon 
• Freshly grated zest of one orange 
• 1 cup heavy cream 
• 4 sprigs fresh mint

Wash the berries and set aside four small, nicely shaped ones for garnish. Stem and core the remaining berries and cut them into thick slices. Place them in a bowl and sprinkle lightly with sugar - how much will depend on how sweet the berries are already. Add the bourbon and orange zest. Cover and set them aside to macerate for half an hour. 

Mash the berries to a pulp with a potato masher. Don’t use a blender or food processor, which will liquefy them. You want some chunks.

In a separate bowl, beat the cream until it forms soft peaks. Gently fold in the strawberries until the mixture is uniform. Spoon the fool into stemmed glasses. Thoroughly chill the fool for at least one hour. Just before serving them, garnish the tops with the sprigs of mint and reserved berries.

Contact Anne Braly at [email protected] or annebraly.com

“Sweet Enough” by Alison Roman. Clarkson Potter Publishers. 303 pages. $35.00.
I am always looking for new dessert recipes because I love to cook them for my children and grandchildren, and they always appreciate my efforts. This new book by bestselling cookbook author Alison Roman is full of delicious ideas that she has developed for easy to prepare treats. The book also has a few savory entries and, while they are inventive and worth trying, I’ve chosen sweet ones for this column.

“Sweet Enough” concentrates on recipes that are “casual, effortless and chic.” They make use of the pans you already have on hand and ingredients that are easily available. Roman’s entries range from how to make sumptuous pies, cakes, and puddings, to tips for frozen desserts and jams, and they star caramel, chocolate, and especially fresh fruits. Lovely photographs accompany most recipes and will tempt you to serve them at your next dinner party or take to special friends.

The book begins with a section on pies, tarts, and galettes, so the first recipe I’ve chosen for you today is for a luscious-looking rich chocolate tart. It even has a chocolate crust, designed to gild the lily for all chocoholics. Plus, it can be made three days ahead and refrigerated.

Perfectly Tangy Chocolate Tart

For the crust:

• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/3 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 Tsp. kosher salt
• 1 stick unsalted butter, melted

For the filling:

• 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate
• 4 ounces milk chocolate
• Pinch of kosher salt
• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1 cup sour cream
• Flaky sea salt

Make the crust: Preheat oven to 350. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, powdered sugar, and kosher salt. Drizzle in the melted butter and mix until well combined. Press into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom or a 9-inch pie plate or springform pan, using a measuring sup or your hands to flatten it and make sure it’s all packed an even.

Bake until it’s completely baked through and gone from dark brown and shiny to a lighter dark brown and matte, 15-20 minutes. The center should be firm and opaque. Remove from oven and let cool completely.
Make the filling: In a heatproof medium bowl, combine the dark and milk chocolates and kosher salt. Set aside.

In a small saucepan, heat the cream and honey over medium heat. Once it starts to simmer, remove it from the heat and pour it over the chocolate. Let it sit for a minute or two to melt the chocolate, then, using a spatula, mix until well blended and no pieces of chocolate remain.

Stir in the sour cream and mix until it looks thick, glossy, and emulsified. Immediately pour the filling into the cooled crust and smooth the top. Sprinkle with flaky salt and refrigerate. Let chill at least 1 hour before slicing. Makes one 9-inch tart.


The next recipe is for a galette, a simple desert but one that looks spectacular. This one calls for peaches, but there are more that star other fruits.

Peaches and Cream Galette
This galette calls for a piecrust, preferably homemade, so I’ve included the author’s recipe for one. She claims it’s a never fail! It is a little different than the one I have used for years, and her explanation of why it works is compelling enough that I will try it soon.

For the Crust:

• 2 1/2 cups flour, plus more for dusting
• 2 Tsp. sugar
• 1 Tsp. kosher salt
• 2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into
• 1-inch pieces, chilled
• 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup ice cold water

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, and salt. Add the butter and toss to coat it in the flour mixture. Using your hands, smash the butter between your palms and fingertips, mixing it into the flour, creating long, thin, flaky, floury, buttery bits. Once most of the butter is incorporated and there are no large chunks remaining, dump the flour mixture onto a work surface.

In a measuring cup, combine the vinegar and ice water and drizzle it over the flour/butter mixture. Run your fingers through the mixture like your running your fingers through your hair, just to evenly distribute the water through the flour until the dough starts coming together.

Knead the dough a few more times, just to gather up any dry bits from the bottom and place them on the top to be incorporated. You will be tempted to add a tablespoon or two more water now - resist if you can, add only if you must.

Once you’ve got a shaggy mass of dough, knead it once or twice more and divide it in half. Pat each piece into a flat disc about one inch thick. Wrap each disc individually in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least two hours. Since this recipe calls for only one disc of dough, the other one may be wrapped thoroughly and frozen for a later galette.

For the Galette:

• 2 pounds peaches, nectarines, or
• apricots, unpeeled, cut into slices
• about 1-inch thick.
• 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon or lime juice
• 5-6 Tbsp. sugar
• 1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
• 1 large egg
• 1 Tsp. dried chamomile, or 1 Tbsp.
• fresh, optional

Preheat oven to 375. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough out to a 13-14-inch round and transfer to the lined baking sheet.

Arrange the peach slices in the center of the dough, letting the slices pile on top of each other, leaving a 2-inch border of dough all around. Gently toss the peaches with lemon juice and two tablespoons of the sugar.
Drizzle the sweetened condensed milk over the peaches, letting it pool and gather in the nooks and crannies. Fold the crust over the peaches by about two inches, crimping/overlapping the dough at 1- or 2-inch intervals to create a good seal for all the juiciness to come.

In a small bowl, whisk the egg with one teaspoon or so of water and use that to brush onto the crust. Sprinkle the whole galette with three or four tablespoons more sugar for juicier fruit and an extra crunchy/craggy/golden crust.
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Bake, rotating the baking sheet front to back once, until the crust is deeply golden brown and baked through, the peaches are juicy, tender, and bubbling, 50-55 minutes. While still warm, sprinkle with chamomile, if using. Let cool completely before slicing and serving with whipped cream or ice cream. Makes one 10-inch galette.

As any Southerner already knows, it isn’t Easter dinner down South if it doesn’t begin with deviled eggs. 
Sure, they’re served around the globe, but as a Southerner born and bred, they hold a special place in my heart. Come Easter Sunday, there was always a place for them next to the ham and potato salad on my mother’s Easter buffet. Now, I continue that tradition myself. And while they may come in and out of “fashion,” they’ve never lost their front and center place on Easter tables across the country.

No matter how sophisticated your crowd claims to be, their posturing will go out the window the minute they see the egg plate. And if the deviled eggs are well made, the rest of the meal can be lackluster, and no one will care. Thank goodness.

Think of the recipe that follows as a base from which to evolve. No two cooks have ever made deviled eggs in exactly the same way, so don’t let yourself get too obsessed with reproducing your mother’s formula. Feel free to let evolution take its natural course: If you find you prefer a softer filling, add more mayonnaise or a splash of cream; if you like it to have more bite, up the mustard to Dijon, add some horseradish or cayenne, or use Wickles pickle relish - my favorite because it seems to add just the perfect bite to the yolk mixture. They’re also lovely with a teaspoon or two of curry powder mixed into them.

If you want to gussy them up, top them with sliced pimiento-stuffed olives, capers, slivers of country ham, lox or even fresh radish, or small cooked shrimp, caviar, or salmon roe. Or fold a quarter-cup of finely chopped ham, smoked salmon, sweet or dill pickles, or chopped olives into the filling - or whatever else (within reason) your imagination fancies.

But remember: They’re still just deviled eggs, not a canvas for your culinary ego or an advertisement of your so-called sophistication. Take the less-is-more approach. Simpler is easier and always seems to please the crowd the most.

And remember, peeling fresh eggs is almost impossible. Nine times out of 10, you’ll end up with divots all over your beautiful egg whites. You want your eggs to be at least two weeks old - preferably three or four. They’ll still be good as long as you’ve kept them refrigerated.


Classic Deviled Eggs

• 1 dozen large eggs
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise, preferably 
• homemade
• 1 Tbsp. prepared mustard (your choice)
• Salt and cayenne pepper, to taste
• 1-2 Tbsp. Wickles pickles relish (or 
• your favorite sweet relish)
• Paprika or curry powder

Using a clean pushpin or needle, gently prick each egg at the large end to help prevent the shell from cracking as its contents warms. Put them in a heavy-bottomed pan that will hold them in one layer and add enough cold water to cover them by one inch. Bring the water to a full boil over medium-high heat.

Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and remove it from the heat. Let it stand 10 minutes, drain and rinse the eggs under cold running water. Lightly tap the eggs on all sides to crack the shells, cover with cold water, and let stand for another minute or two before peeling them. Begin at the large end, where there’s usually an air pocket that will help you get the shell loose.

Cut the eggs in half lengthwise. Scoop the yolks into a mixing bowl. Set the whites, cut side up, on a deviled egg plate or platter. Roughly mash the yolks with a fork to the texture of coarse meal, then blend in the mayonnaise and mustard. Season to taste with salt and cayenne and beat until smooth. (You may do this step in the food processor; put the yolks in the work bowl that has been fitted with the metal blade. Pulse until they’re the texture of coarse meal, then add the mayonnaise, mustard, salt and cayenne and process until smooth.) If you’re adding other things, fold them in now.

Spoon or pipe the filling (using a pastry bag fitted with an open star tip) into the egg whites, mounding it up a little.  Lightly dust the top with paprika or curry powder. They can be made several hours ahead; cover with something that will not touch the tops of the eggs and refrigerate until you are ready to serve them.

“Home Is Where the Eggs Are: Farmhouse Food for the People You Love” by Molly Yeh. William Morrow. 338 pages, $32.50.
When my grandchildren were still toddlers, I admit I often fed them hot dogs, macaroni and cheese, and peanut butter sandwiches. But now that they have developed more mature pallets, I’m hoping to try out more exotic foods, sort of. I know that they still will always eat most any fruit, muffins, and spaghetti, but I’m frequently on the lookout for things they may not have yet tried that they might like. Enter this new cookbook by Molly Yeh, with its just perfect name.
The star of the Food Network show “Girl Meets Farm” and recipient of several awards for her cooking, Molly put this book together after she and her husband, Nick, had their first child. It reflects her ah-ha moment that “feeding a family is different.” She has embraced that idea that food has become “about building family traditions and memories, celebrating the everyday.”
This cookbook gathers recipes that Molly developed for feeding her husband and daughter, Bernadette, as well as some fancier fare for her job. I am definitely going to try lots of them out on my grandchildren, especially the one for Baked Egg Rolls, made by filling flour tortillas with meat and veggies and baking until golden brown since they are partial to finger-foods.
The first recipe included here is for scrambled eggs, enhanced by the addition of cream cheese and everything bagel topping. (Molly’s recipe for this popular mix is to combine equal parts of dried minced onion, dried minced garlic, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, kosher salt to taste, and caraway seeds, if you like them.)  I know my grandchildren like scrambled eggs, and these are especially tasty; they are not difficult to prepare, nor what they might call “weird,” their immediate reaction to new foods. (I will probably not douse them with the everything bagel seasoning, the scallion, or the dill.)


Cream Cheese Scrambled Eggs

• About 1/2 Tbsp. butter
• 1 large egg, beaten very well with a
• splash of water
• 2 Tbsp. cream cheese, cubed
• Lots of everything bagel topping
• Flaky salt or kosher salt, if your
• everything bagel topping doesn’t
• provide enough
• 1 scallion, green part only, thinly
• sliced on a very steep bias
• 1 dill spring chopped or torn
• Ketchup, optional
  

Heat a nonstick or well-seasoned cast-iron pan over medium-high heat. When it’s good and hot, add the butter, swirl it around, and immediately pour in the egg.
Quickly scatter on the cream cheese. When the bottom of the egg is set, use a spatula to pull one side of the egg in toward the other side, bunching up the bottom set part and letting the uncooked egg pool in the exposed part of the pan. Promptly push the opposite side of the egg back to the side where you started. Gently pull it around a couple more times until is just set and slide onto a plate. Sprinkle liberally with everything bagel seasoning and salt, if desired, and finish with the scallion and dill. Serve with ketchup, if desired, and toast. Makes one small serving. Double if you’re hungry.


The next recipe is for a French bread pizza that is topped with a creamy, lemony Caesar salad just before serving. Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it, as the salad give the cheesy pizza a delicious crunch.

Caesar Salad French Bread Pizza

• 1 loaf French bread
• 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup pizza sauce
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella
• Pinch oregano
• Grilled chicken, optional
• 9 ounces romaine, chopped
• Caesar dressing, see below
• Crushed red pepper
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Grated Parmesan

Caesar Dressing

• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 2 shakes of Worcestershire sauce
• Zest and juice of half a lemon
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped or grated
• Lots of freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 Tsp. kosher salt
  

Combine all ingredients and whisk until smooth. Store in fridge until ready to use.
Preheat oven to 425.
Slice French bread in half lengthwise, but leave it connected on one side and place cut side up on a sheet pan. Brush inside of bread with olive oil, sprinkle with garlic, spread with pizza sauce, and cover with mozzarella. Sprinkle with oregano and chicken, if using, and bake until the cheese is melted and the edges are toasty, about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, toss the romaine with Caesar dressing.
Cut the pizza into four big slices crosswise, then top with salad and sprinkle with crushed red pepper, black pepper, and Parmesan.  Fold over into a sandwich. Makes four servings.


Here is the recipe for the Baked Egg Rolls. I will serve them with some red sweet and sour sauce, which is tempting to my grandchildren.

Baked Egg Rolls

• 1 Tbsp. neutral oil, plus more for brushing
• 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 large celery stalk, finely chopped
• Pinch of kosher salt
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 pounds 85 percent lean ground beef
• 10-ounce bag coleslaw mix
• 2 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 12 6-inch flour tortillas
• Rice vinegar, for serving

Preheat oven to 425. Line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside.
Heat large skillet over medium heat and add oil. Add onion, celery, and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for another minute. Add beef and cook, breaking up with a spoon, until browned. Turn off the heat and stir in the coleslaw mix, stirring for a minute or two so that the cabbage wilts slightly. Add the soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, and loads of black pepper and mix to combine.
Scoop 1/2 cup of the mixture in a line across the equator of a tortilla, roll it up, and place it seam side down on the prepared sheet pan. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling, spacing them out evenly on the sheet pan. Brush the top with a thick layer of oil and bake until lightly golden; begin checking for doneness at 14 minutes. Let cool slightly and cut in half on the diagonal.
Serve with a dipping sauce of one part vinegar and one part soy sauce.
Makes 12 egg rolls.