Jann Lea-Van Remortel
Springfield, Missouri
Fresh okra, sliced 3/8ths to 1/2 inch. Coat in beaten egg white and drain. Coat with yellow cornmeal, salt and pepper. Heat 1/4 inch of canola oil in a large skillet (should be in one layer). Fry okra until lightly browned and crisp on the outside.
It was the only vegetable (besides corn-on-the-cob maybe) that me and my siblings all LOVED! I still make it with okra grown in my Tucson, AZ garden.
Lynn Hodge
Fayetteville
This is the only recipe I have in my granny’s own handwriting. She loved it!
Laurie Marshall
Springdale
This recipe was in an accordion file that belonged to my grandmother Bernelle Whillock. She kept a large garden to feed her family, and canned and froze vegetables all summer long. I spent many hours picking strawberries and snapping peas with her as a child. One year, I even mothered a clutch of blue skink eggs I found in the potato box.
This recipe came from a friend of grandma’s, as did many of the cards in her file. I especially enjoy recognizing my mother’s handwriting on some of the cards. Mom wasn’t as adventurous a cook as I am (neither was grandma), but like me, they collected recipes with the intention of trying something new, and as a compliment to the cook it came from. I think those sentiments speak to the generosity of my Ozark people.
Dawn Burke
Springdale, Arkansas
1 cup of flour
1 cup of white cornmeal
1 tablespoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of baking soda
Mix above ingredients. Then add 1 egg and buttermilk stir till mixed up well and mixture is smooth. Pour into a 10 inch cast iron skillet that has been sprayed with non stick cooking spray. Bake in a pre heated 450 degree oven for approximately 30 minutes. Should be golden brown on top.
This has always been a family favorite. My Mum taught how to make it this way as her mom did and my great grandma did as well !
Heidi Ann Faires
Springdale
(4) ripe peaches
ginger
cinnamon
sea salt
fresh rosemary
pie crust
cream cheese
chevre (goat cheese)
honey
pecans (toasted)
brown sugar
vanilla bean
honey butter
Pre-heat oven to 450. Unroll pie crust and bring to room temperature. Pinch the corners and fold to create a 1/2" wall around the outside. Put honey butter in sauce pan on medium heat, add in sliced peaches, 1/4 tsp ginger, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp clove and vanilla bean scrapped and skins. Add in 1/2 cup of brown sugar and let simmer for 15 minutes then turn heat off.
Strain peaches from juices and set aside. Blend the cream cheese and chevre until soft, spread onto the bottom of the pie crust, spoon peaches all over cheese spread, sprinkle pecans all over and lightly dust with sea salt, ginger, cinnamon and clove. Place rosemary sprigs all over and then drizzle with honey. Bake until crust is golden, remove and place on cooling wire. Slice & Serve & Enjoy.
Fall is my favorite time of the year, the weather starts to cool off and everything is changing. I choose this recipe because of the earthy and rustic tones for the pallette. It is sweet & savory and just the right amount of fall flavors wrapped up in a rustic slab crust.
Molly Carman
Fayetteville, AR
My Mom's Cornbread
Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Put a couple of tablespoons of oil (I use vegetable or coconut) in a cast-iron skillet, or a 9" baking dish, and put the dish into the oven to pre-heat. This is how you get a nice, crispy crust.
Mix together these dry ingredients in a large bowl:
1 cup Cornmeal
1 cup Whole Wheat Flour
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Salt
Mix together these wet ingredients in a small bowl:
2 Eggs
1 cup Buttermilk, Sour Milk, or Milk with a little vinegar in it
1/4 cup Oil (I use coconut oil, but if you don't like the taste, use a vegetable oil)
1/4 cup Honey (or 1/2 cup sugar, if you don't have any honey)
Mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients, and then pour into the baking dish/skillet.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean.
Serve with lots of butter. When I have leftover cornbread, I like to eat it for breakfast, toasted, and with lots of butter and honey, and a glass of milk.
This is my mom’s cornbread recipe, and the first thing I remember ever learning to bake by myself. I learned it in the Osage Hills of Northeastern Oklahoma, but it has transplanted well to the Ozarks. (I like to think that I have, too.)The picture of the recipe doesn’t have any instructions on it, because they’re all in my head, but I’ve been meaning to write out the full recipe for years. I’m glad to have this opportunity to share it.