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What you’ll findin a SheKnowsCookbookSheKnows
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SHEKNOWS Friends Night In Edition | 1 |
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Friends Night In Editioncookbooks
9 14
5
Simple southern crab dip
Fruit and nut salad
Spicy deviled eggs
Down-home potato salad
Cranberry congealed salad
Buttermilk biscuits
Homestyle butterbeans
Sweet potato casserole
Creamed corn
Baked macaroni and cheese
Southern collard greens
Mama’s fried chicken
Double-crust chicken pot pie
Honey-glazed ham
Hamburger steak with onions
Fried pork chops
Southern pecan pie
Banana pudding
Easy apple pie
Pineapple cake
Old-fashioned caramel layer cake
Southern sweet tea
Fresh citrus tea
Southern whiskey sour
Mississippi punch
SHEKNOWS Friends Night In Edition | 3 |
APPETIZERS AND SALADS
SIDE DISHES
MAIN COURSES
DESSERTS
DRINKS
FriendsNight In
Only one thing is better than a little down-home cooking: Time with
sweet girlfriends over some of the best Southern recipes ever passed
down. Invite your friends over and pull together a menu from the
selection that follows for a night of laughter and delicious eats.
SIMPLE SOUTHERN CRAB DIP
SERVES 8-10
1 cup crabmeat
1-1/2 cups mayonnaise
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon horseradish
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup French dressing
Directions:
1. Mix crabmeat, mayonnaise, cheddar
cheese, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce
and French dressing in serving bowl. Stir well.
2. Serve with sliced vegetables and crackers.
| 4 | SHEKNOWS Cookbooks
Friends Night In {Appetizers and Salads}
FRUIT AND NUT SALAD
SERVES 6
2 cups tart apples, diced
1 cup seedless grapes, green
1/2 cup Mandarin oranges, sectioned
1 cup miniature marshmallows
1/2 cup pecans
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 cup whipped cream
1/4 cup sugar
Directions:
1. Coat apples with lemon juice in large bowl.
Add grapes, oranges, marshmallows and nuts.
2. Combine sugar and whipped cream in small
bowl. Mix thoroughly. Fold fruit into cream.
3. Serve immediately or chill.
Catch up with your friends over heartwarming soul food, from
the classic deviled egg to a creamy potato salad.
SHEKNOWS Friends Night In Edition | 5 |
Friends Night In {Appetizers and Salads}
SPICY DEVILED EGGS
YIELDS 12 EGGS
6 eggs
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1 green onion, diced
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
3 tablespoons cooked bacon, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped chives or parsley, for garnish
Directions:
1. Place eggs in small saucepan and cover with cold
water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover and
remove from heat. Let stand 15 minutes. Drain and
rinse under cold water. Peel eggs and cool
completely.
2. Slice eggs in half lengthwise. Remove yolks and
set whites on platter. Place yolks in bowl and mash
yolks with fork. Stir in cream, onion, vinegar,
mustard, curry powder and hot sauce until blended.
3. Spoon or pipe egg yolk mixture into centers of
egg whites. Sprinkle bacon over eggs. Garnish with
chives or parsley.
DOWN-HOME POTATO SALAD
SERVES 6-8
5 medium Idaho potatoes
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1 teaspoon celery seed
1 tablespoon mustard
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 boiled eggs, chopped
1/2 cup sweet pickles, chopped
1 teaspoon paprika
Directions:
1. Peel and chop potatoes into squares.
2. Cook potatoes in salted water in saucepan
until tender; drain and let cool.
3. In large bowl, combine remaining
ingredients and toss with potatoes.
Friends Night In {Appetizers and Salads}
CRANBERRY CONGEALED SALAD
SERVES 8-9
1 (6 ounce) package raspberry gelatin
1-1/2 cups boiling water
1 (16 ounce) can whole cranberry sauce
1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese
1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping
Lettuce leaves, for serving
Directions:
1. Dissolve raspberry gelatin in water. Stir in
cranberry sauce, pineapple and pecans.
2. Pour mixture into casserole dish and chill.
3. Mix cream cheese and whipped topping until
smooth. Spread over top of chilled salad.
4. Serve in squares over lettuce leaves.
| 6 | SHEKNOWS Cookbooks
Friends Night In {Side Dishes}
SHEKNOWS Friends Night In Edition | 7 |
Every Southern woman knows that no meal is complete without the “fixins” (e.g. side dishes).
Try your hand at traditional collard greens, or enjoy a batch of homemade buttermilk biscuits
(they’re even better for breakfast). Your girlfriends will thank you for these winning recipes.
BUTTERMILK BISCUITS
YIELDS 10 BISCUITS
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
(plus for more kneading)
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
1 cup buttermilk
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Combine flour, baking soda, baking
powder and salt in bowl.
2. Cut the cold butter into chunks, and cut
into the flour. Stir or mix in electric mixer
until it reaches cornmeal consistency.
3. Add buttermilk; combine just until
mixed. Dough will be wet.
4. Place dough onto floured surface.
5. Gently pat the dough out until it's 1/2-
inch thick. Fold the dough in about 5
times and pat out again to 1/2-inch thick.
Do not over-knead the dough.
6. Use a round cookie cutter to cut out
circles; place dough circles on cookie
sheet, with sides touching each other.
7. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until
golden brown.
| 8 | SHEKNOWS Cookbooks
HOMESTYLE BUTTERBEANS
SERVES 6-8
7 slices bacon, diced
1 small onion, minced
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 (16 ounce) package frozen lima (a.k.a., butter) beans
1/4 cup butter
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
Directions:
1. Cook bacon and onion in a large Dutch oven over
medium heat 5 to 7 minutes. Add brown sugar and
cook, stirring occasionally, 1 to 2 minutes or until
sugar is dissolved.
2. Stir in butterbeans and butter until butter is
melted and beans are thoroughly coated. Stir in 12
cups water.
3. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce
heat to low. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 2
hours or until beans are very tender, and liquid is
thickened and just below top of beans. Stir in salt
and pepper.
Friends Night In {Side Dishes}
SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE
SERVES 6
2 eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups cooked mashed sweet potatoes
Topping:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup flour
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Beat eggs,
granulated sugar and 3/4 cup butter with
electric mixer. Add milk and vanilla.
2. Combine with the mashed sweet potatoes;
spoon into a greased two-quart casserole.
Combine brown sugar, flour, butter and
pecans, mixing until crumbly; sprinkle over
sweet potatoes.
SHEKNOWS Friends Night In Edition | 9 |
CREAMED CORN
SERVES 10
32 ounces frozen whole-kernel
corn (two 16 ounce packages)
1 stick butter
1 cup whipping cream
1 tablespoon sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Place butter in large skillet
over medium heat to melt.
Add frozen corn. Stir and
continue cooking over
medium heat for a few
minutes, until mostly thawed.
2. Add whipping cream and
sugar. Add salt and pepper to
taste. Continue cooking over
medium heat, stirring
constantly for 10 to 15
minutes, until corn is cooked
through and sauce is thick.
Friends Night In {Side Dishes}
BAKED MACARONIAND CHEESE
SERVES 6-8
1 (16 ounce) package uncooked elbow
macaroni
3 (8 ounce) containers cottage cheese
1 (16 ounce) container sour cream
3 eggs
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.
2. Add a dash of salt to a large pot of
water and bring to a boil. Add pasta
and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until
al dente. Drain.
3. In a large bowl, combine cooked
pasta, cottage cheese, sour cream,
eggs, cheddar cheese and cayenne
pepper. Stir well and transfer to
prepared dish. Sprinkle with paprika.
4. Cover loosely with aluminum foil
and bake 40 minutes.
SOUTHERNCOLLARD GREENS
SERVES 6
1-1/2 quarts water
1-1/2 pounds ham hocks
4 pounds collard greens, rinsed
and trimmed
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup vegetable oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Place the water and ham hocks in
a large pot and cover. Bring to a boil.
Turn heat down to low and cover;
cook for 30 minutes.
2. Add the collard greens and red
pepper flakes. Simmer, covered, for
about 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
3. Add the vegetable oil. Cover and
simmer for 30 minutes.
Friends Night In {Main Dishes}
You can't have a Southern meal without a homecooked main dish, now, can you? Pick any of these, and your
girlfriends will be begging for the recipe for years to come. Fried chicken reigns supreme down South.
MAMA’S FRIED CHICKEN
SERVES 4
1 cup all-purpose flour
1-1/4 teaspoons dried thyme
3/4 teaspoon onion powder
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon pepper
8 pieces of chicken (thighs, legs or breasts)
2/3 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons oil
Directions:
1. Combine flour, thyme, onion powder,
paprika, salt and pepper in a large
plastic bag. Add chicken to bag, one or
two pieces at a time; shake to coat well.
Dip chicken into buttermilk, return to
bag and shake to coat.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium
heat. Add chicken and sauté 15 minutes,
turning to cook evenly until golden.
3. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook,
uncovered, 35 to 40 minutes or until
chicken is tender and juices run clear
when chicken is pierced with a fork.
| 10 | SHEKNOWS Cookbooks
DOUBLE-CRUST CHICKEN POT PIE
SERVES 6
1 recipe for 9-inch double-crust pie pastry or purchased pie crusts
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1-1/2 cups milk
2-1/2 cups cooked diced chicken
2 cups fresh or frozen peas, cooked and drained
1-1/2 cups carrots, sliced
1/2 teaspoon dried leaf thyme, crumbled
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare pastry and line pie
plate with half of the dough (or one prepared pie crust). In a
skillet, melt butter over medium-low heat. Add mushrooms and
garlic. Sauté until lightly browned.
2. In a saucepan, stir cornstarch and milk until smooth. Mix in
the mushrooms, garlic and the pan drippings from skillet. Bring
to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly, and continue to
boil for 1 minute.
3. Stir in chicken, peas, carrots, thyme, salt and pepper. Pour
into the prepared pastry-lined pie plate.
4. Roll out remaining dough and carefully place on top of pie.
Seal and flute edge. Cut several slits in top.
5. Bake at 375 degrees F. for 35 minutes, or until golden brown.
Friends Night In {Main Dishes}
HONEY-GLAZED HAM
SERVES 6-8
1/2 spiral-cut smoked ham (roughly 7 pounds)
1/2 cup pear juice
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup honey
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place ham,
cut end down, in a large baking pan.
2. Mix pear and orange juice in a bowl.
3. Bake ham for 15 minutes, basting
frequently with fruit juice.
4. Mix brown sugar and honey in small bowl.
5. Brush sugar mixture over ham and cook
for an additional hour or until internal
temperature reads 140 degrees F.
SHEKNOWS Friends Night In Edition | 11 |
| 12 | SHEKNOWS Cookbooks
HAMBURGER STEAK WITH ONIONS
SERVES 6
1-1/2 pounds ground beef
2 eggs
1/3 cup breadcrumbs
1/8 teaspoon ground black
pepper
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1-1/2 teaspoons
Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1-1/2 cups thinly sliced onion
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups beef broth
3/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
Directions:
1. In a large bowl, mix the ground beef, eggs, breadcrumbs,
pepper, salt, onion powder, garlic powder and
Worcestershire sauce. Form into 10 to 12 balls, and flatten
into patties.
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry
the patties and onion in the oil until patties are nicely
browned, about 4 minutes per side. Remove the beef
patties to a plate, and keep warm.
3. Sprinkle flour over the onions and drippings in the skillet.
Stir in flour with a fork, scraping bits of beef off the bottom
as you stir. Gradually stir in the beef broth. Sprinkle with
seasoned salt. Simmer and stir over medium-low heat for
about 5 minutes, until the gravy thickens.
4. Turn heat to low, return patties to the gravy, cover and
simmer for another 15 minutes.
Friends Night In {Main Dishes}
FRIED PORK CHOPS
SERVES 6-8
7 pieces thin, bone-in pork chops
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
Cayenne pepper to taste
1/2 cup canola oil
1 tablespoon butter
Directions:
1. Salt and pepper both sides of pork chops.
2. Combine all dry ingredients on large plate.
Dredge pork chops on both sides in dry mixture
and set aside.
3. Heat canola oil over medium-high heat. Add
butter and melt. Cook pork chops 1 to 2
minutes on each side (until juices run clear).
SHEKNOWS Friends Night In Edition | 13 |
Friends Night In {Desserts}
It wouldn't be the South without passed-down dessert recipes like these. Take your pick
from any of these gems, and you know you'll be serving up a county fair winner.
SOUTHERN PECAN PIE
SERVES 8
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup light corn syrup
3/4 cup dark corn syrup
4 eggs
1/4 cup melted butter
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups pecans, chopped
1 unbaked deep-dish pie shell
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In
saucepan, boil sugar and corn syrups
together for 2 to 3 minutes and set aside
to cool.
2. In large bowl, beat eggs lightly.
Slowly pour syrup mixture over eggs,
stirring constantly.
3. Stir in butter, vanilla and pecans.
Pour into crust.
4. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes or until set.
| 14 | SHEKNOWS Cookbooks
Friends Night In {Desserts}
EASY APPLE PIE
SERVES 6-8
2 thawed pie crusts
6 cups thinly sliced and peeled Granny Smith apples
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Place pie crust
in greased 9-inch pie plate. Press firmly to fold
edges over pie plate.
2. Stir together apples, sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt,
nutmeg and lemon juice in large bowl. Pour into
pie plate.
3. Cover with second pie crust. Press edges
together to seal. Cut slits in top of pie.
4. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown.
Cover edges with aluminum foil with 15 to 20
minutes left to avoid edges burning. Allow to cool.
BANANA PUDDING
SERVES 6
2 cups milk, 2 percent or whole
2/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons butter
2 to 3 large bananas, sliced
50 vanilla wafers or 1 12 ounce box
1 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
1. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the milk,
sugar, cornstarch, vanilla extract, salt, egg and egg
yolk. Place the pan over medium heat; cool until
thick and bubbling.
2. Remove the pan from the heat and add the
butter. Whisk until completely melted.
3. In serving dish, place a layer of the sliced
bananas; top that with a layer of the vanilla wafer
cookies. Pour in 1/3 of pudding. Repeat until full.
Cover and chill until ready to serve.
SHEKNOWS Friends Night In Edition | 15 |
PINEAPPLE CAKESERVES 10-12
Cake:
2 cups sugar
2 sticks butter, softened
3 cups plain flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon vanilla
6 egg whites, stiffly beaten
Filling:
3 tablespoons plain flour
1-1/2 cups sugar
1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple, undrained
6 egg yolks
1 stick butter
Directions (cake):
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cream sugar
and butter together until light and fluffy.
2. Combine flour and baking powder in
medium bowl. Add, alternating with milk, to
sugar mixture, beginning and ending with
dry ingredients.
3. Stir in vanilla extract and fold in egg
whites gently.
4. Pour batter into two 11-inch baking pans or
three 8-inch baking pans, greased.
5. Bake for 20 minutes or until toothpick
comes out clean.
Directions (filling):
1. In a saucepan, stir flour and sugar together.
Add pineapple and egg yolks, and blend.
2. Add in butter and stir, cooking over
medium-high heat until mixture boils and
thickens (5 to 10 minutes).
3. Let cool. Spread between layers of baked
pineapple cake as filling.
Friends Night In {Desserts}
| 16 | SHEKNOWS Cookbooks
OLD-FASHIONED CARAMEL LAYER CAKE
SERVES 10-12
Cake:
3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
2 cups sugar
6 eggs, room temperature
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Frosting:
2-1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions (cake):
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Combine flour and baking
powder in medium bowl.
2. In large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add
eggs, one at a time, and mix well.
3. Add in the dry ingredients from medium bowl with milk to
the creamed sugar, alternating, and beginning and ending with
dry ingredients.
4. Stir in the vanilla extract.
5. Bake for about 35 minutes in two 9-inch greased cake pans
(until toothpick comes out clean).
Directions (frosting):
1. For frosting, place 1/2 cup sugar in skillet over medium-high
heat and stir until caramelized.
2. In large saucepan, combine remaining 2 cups of sugar with
milk and bring to a boil. Add caramelized sugar to boiling
mixture, stirring constantly until soft-ball stage (between 234
and 240 degrees F. on candy thermometer).
3. Remove saucepan from the heat and add butter and vanilla.
Mix with electric mixer on high speed until thick.
4. To frost cake, spread caramel frosting over one layer of
cake. Top with second layer, and pour remaining frosting on
top. Wet knife to spread frosting easily.
Friends Night In {Desserts}
SHEKNOWS Friends Night In Edition | 17 |
SOUTHERN SWEET TEA
YIELDS 16 SERVINGS
1-1/4 cups sugar
1/2 gallon water
1 tray ice cubes
4 family-size teabags or 8 regular teabags
Directions:
1. Pour water into a 3-quart or larger pot and
bring to boil. Remove from heat, and add teabags.
2. Let tea steep for 5 to 6 minutes and pour sugar
into large pitcher.
3. Remove teabags and return to heat. Bring just
to a boil and pour into pitcher, dissolving sugar.
Stir well. Fill pitcher with ice and stir well.
Friends Night In {Drinks}
FRESH CITRUS TEA
SERVES 12
5 lemons
5 limes
5 oranges
3 quarts water
1-1/2 cups sugar
Directions:
1. Squeeze juice from lemons, limes and
oranges into gallon container.
2. Add water and sugar to juice, stirring well.
3. Chill in refrigerator and serve over ice.
4. Garnish with remaining fruit slices.
From the classic sweet tea to a couple of cocktails with some sass, these drinks will do just fine for
sipping on the porch on a hot summer day with the girlfriends. Of course, add in as much sugar
as you like. You can never go wrong adding more sugar down South.
| 18 | SHEKNOWS Cookbooks
SOUTHERN WHISKEY SOUR
YIELDS 1 COCKTAIL
2 ounces apple brandy
1/2 teaspoon powdered sugar
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 lemon slice
1 cherry
Directions:
1. Shake apple brandy, powdered sugar and
juice of lemon with ice and strain into a
whiskey sour glass.
2. Top with lemon slice and cherry.
Friends Night In {Drinks}
MISSISSIPPI PUNCH
YIELDS 1 COCKTAIL
2 ounces cognac
1 ounce bourbon
1 ounce dark rum
1/2 ounce lemon juice
2 teaspoons fine sugar
Directions:
1. Add all ingredients to chilled cocktail shaker;
shake well with crushed ice, and then strain
into a Collins glass 2/3 full of crushed ice.
2. Garnish with lemon or orange slice.