6. An all-night grocery
7. Audrey, the child of Gervaise’s lieutenant, Booth Crimmons
8. Lorinda
9. Nora Roberts
10. Don Dominica
11. Waco, Texas
12. Whispering Palms
13. Janesha
14. Nandinas
15. Duchesne
Dead and Gone: 1. Tessa
2. Three
3. Fire Chief Trochek
4. Riki Cunningham
5. Lightning
6. Bad wiring
7. One blue, one yellow
8. Willie Chenier
9. Ginjer
10. Louis Chambers
11. Murry
12. Enda
13. Brock and Chessie Johnson
14. An upholstery shop
15. Lee
Dead in the Family: 1. Twenty-one
2. Bannister
3. Two months
4. Katherine Boudreaux
5. Sallie
6. A white Lexus
7. His father’s sister’s
8. Homer
9. A child Hunter knows who has a birthmark on her face
10. The Poky Little Puppy
11. The element
12. Doreen
13. Mr. DeWitt
14. Mr. Barlowe
15. He killed a human who attacked him with a hoe while he was in wolf form.
Dead Reckoning: 1. Donald Callaway
2. A paint store
3. Marcia Albanese
4. Death by Fashion in Shreveport
5. New Bedford
6. Youree Drive
7. Shocking pink
8. Pearl’s
9. Cait
10. India
11. Butterscotch
12. Mrs. Gristede
13. A Dodge Charger
14. Three
15. Dusty Kolinchek
What’s Cookin’ in Bon Temps
A Selection of Down-Home Southern Recipes
Southern cooking has a style—and a flavor—all its own. When I decided to include recipes that would celebrate the tastes of Louisiana, not to mention the entire South, I decided to throw the doors open to my fans, who had already created a cookbook under the auspices of Charlaine’s Charlatans.
I was wonderfully surprised by the response—the recipes came pouring in! After taste-testing all of them, we selected a range that showcased Southern cooking, from breakfast to dessert, including drinks. I hope you have the chance to try and enjoy some of these true down-home Southern recipes—I know I sure did!
BREAKFAST:
Belle Rive Brunch Eggs
Eggs Benedict
French Market Beignets
LUNCH:
Burgers Lafayette Sauce
Merlotte’s Chicken Strips
Mitchell’s Favorite Meatloaf
SUPPER:
Calvin’s Catfish
Crawdad’s Country-Fried Steak
Crossroads Jambalaya
Sookie’s Chicken Casserole
Stackhouse Smothered Pork Chops
SIDES:
Antoine’s Fried Pickles
Bon Temps Sweet Potato Harvest
Gran’s Easy Baked Apples
Hotshot Hush Puppies
Jannalynn’s Golden Biscuits
Mardi Gras Corn Salad
Michele’s Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
Michele’s Parmesan Garlic Croutons
Pinkie’s Fried Green Tomatoes
Sister’s Mashed Potato Casserole
DESSERTS:
Adele Hale Stackhouse’s Blue-Ribbon Chocolate Cake
Aunt Patty’s Sour Cream Cake with Praline Frosting
Caroline Holliday Bellefleur’s Chocolate Cake
Diner Key Lime Pie
Louisiana Pralines
Perdita’s Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce
Portia’s Sweet Potato Pie
Wicked Peach Cake
DRINKS:
Classic Southern Sweet Tea
Country Porch Lemonade
Breakfast
BELLE RIVE BRUNCH EGGS
TIME: PREP TIME 30 MINUTES, MARINATING TIME 8–12 HOURS, BAKING
TIME 90 MINUTES • SERVES 8–10
INGREDIENTS:
8 slices bread, torn into cubes
1 dozen eggs
2¼ cups plus ½ cup milk
¾ tsp. dry mustard
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 lb. ham, cubed, or 2 lb. cooked bacon, crumbled
½ cup green onions, finely chopped
½ cup red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 cup fresh mushrooms, coarsely chopped
1½ cups shredded cheese (cheddar, Monterey Jack, or a blend, your choice)
1 can (10¾ oz.) cream of mushroom soup
Place the bread cubes into a greased 9 × 13” pan. Beat the eggs, 2¼ cups milk, mustard, salt, and pepper. Pour over the bread cubes in the pan. Evenly sprinkle the ham or bacon, onions, bell pepper, and mushrooms over the top of the egg mixture. Top with the cheese. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.
In the morning, preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Mix the can of soup with ½ cup milk and pour over the refrigerated egg mixture. Bake, uncovered, for 90 minutes. The dish will puff when baking but will deflate after it is removed from the oven. Cut into squares and serve hot.
Submitted by Debi Murray
EGGS BENEDICT
TIME: 15 MINUTES • SERVES 4
INGREDIENTS:
¼ cup mayonnaise (not salad dressing)
1 rounded tsp. brown mustard (not honey mustard, but horseradish mus-
tard or champagne mustard works very well)
¼ cup plain yogurt or sour cream
2 English muffins or 4 leftover biscuits
4 slices sandwich ham or Canadian bacon
⅔ cup water
Pinch of salt
A few shakes of Tabasco sauce (or your preferred pepper-vinegar sauce)
4 eggs, room temperature, as fresh as possible
This takes a little practice in terms of timing because the heat goes on the sauce, the eggs, and the meat from different directions at the same time. Once you get the timing down, however, it’s the easiest Eggs Benedict you’ll ever cook.
Lay the meat in a cold skillet, preferably with a touch of bacon grease, and place the skillet over low heat to brown the meat. If not using a castiron skillet, start with a very low heat. Allow meat to cook, making certain it does not burn. Note: The meat cooks better if it is cut into strips before being laid in the pan, but then it looks less like Eggs Benedict.
As soon as you have the meat pan on the heat, turn to the eggs. Pour ⅔ cup water into a 1-quart bowl. Salt it. Shake in a few good jolts of Tabasco or your favorite vinegar-based pepper sauce. Stir. Crack the eggs and gently slip them (minus the shell) into the water, pricking each yolk once with a toothpick.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Microwave on full power for 2–3 minutes. Let the eggs stand, covered, to give the whites time to completely set and the yolks time to thicken, about 2 minutes.
As soon as you turn on the microwave, put the saucepan with the mayonnaise mixture over low heat and stir pretty constantly for about 5 minutes, until heated through.
When the microwave dings, pull the sauce off the heat long enough to put the bread under the broiler to toast the torn side lightly. While the bread toasts, put the sauce back over low heat and stir. Allow the bread to lightly toast, and then remove it from the oven. The sauce is done when the bread is.
Once the bread is out, quickly drain your eggs and roughly divide them. Shuffle your hot bread onto plates. Top with the meat, then the eggs, and then the sauce. Don’t agoniz
e over the nonround eggs or piles that slip over sideways.
Submitted by Amber Green
FRENCH MARKET BEIGNETS
TIME: PREP TIME 15 MINUTES, REFRIGERATION TIME 8 HOURS, COOKING TIME 15 MINUTES • SERVES 8
INGREDIENTS:
1 package dry yeast
½ tsp. plus ½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup water, warm to the touch
1 cup evaporated milk
1 tsp. salt
1 egg
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
Oil for frying (preferably canola, but whatever oil you’ve got in the Fry
Daddy will do)
1 cup powdered sugar in a brown paper lunch bag
The night before you plan to eat these, dissolve your yeast and ½ tsp. granulated sugar in the warm water in a big mixing bowl. Stir gently until the yeast dissolves; let rest for 5 minutes until the yeast is nice and bubbly.
Add the evaporated milk, ½ cup sugar, and the salt to the bubbly yeast. Crack the egg into a small bowl, beat it well, and add the beaten egg to the big bowl. Stir until well blended. Add the flour, ½ cup at a time, blending well. Cover the bowl with a wet towel and refrigerate overnight.
In the morning, fill your Fry Daddy, your electric wok, or a deep and sturdy saucepan or skillet at least 3” deep with oil. Heat the oil to 375 degrees F.
While the oil is warming, roll out the dough on a well-floured surface. The thickness is a personal preference, but anywhere from ¼” to ½” is traditional. Cut the dough into 2” to 3” squares, also a matter of personal preference. Let the dough rest while the oil heats up.
Drop the beignets, three at a time, into the hot oil. Cook until they are nicely brown, and then turn them over to brown the other side, approximately 1 minute per side. Pull the hot beignets out of the oil with a slotted spoon. Let any excess oil drip off. Drop them into the bag of powdered sugar. Close the bag and shake it. Take the sugar-coated beignets out of the bag and serve immediately. Continue with the rest of the beignets.
Tip: Beignets are best served hot.
Submitted by Denise Little
Lunch
BURGERS LAFAYETTE SAUCE
TIME: 30 MINUTES • SERVES 4
INGREDIENTS:
1 medium onion, chopped
¼ stick margarine
¼ cup vinegar
½ cup water
½ tsp. salt
Dash of cayenne pepper
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. prepared mustard
½ tsp. pepper
½ cup ketchup
Sauté the onion in the margarine. Add all of the other ingredients. Simmer for about 20 minutes.
Place cooked hamburgers or leftover roast in the skillet and steep for at least 10 minutes.
Place the meat on a bun and put a spoonful of extra sauce on top. Makes enough sauce for about 4 hamburgers.
Submitted by Charlaine Harris
COLD-WEATHER CHILI
TIME: PREP TIME 15 MINUTES, COOKING TIME 15 MINUTES, SIMMERING
TIME 1 HOUR 30 MINUTES • SERVES 6–8
INGREDIENTS:
½ lb. ground chuck or ground round
2 medium onions, sliced
1 can (28 oz.) whole tomatoes
1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste
1 cup water
1 beef bouillon cube
2 Tbsp. green peppers, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. oregano
2 tsp. chili powder or ground cumin
½ tsp. crushed red peppers (or to taste)
1 whole bay leaf
2 cans (16 oz. each) red kidney beans
⅛ tsp. ginger
Combine ground beef and sliced onions in a large saucepan. Brown the meat and drain off the fat. Add remaining ingredients and stir to blend. Cover and simmer about 1 hour 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove bay leaf before serving.
Tip: Top with shredded cheddar or mozzarella and sour cream.
Variation: Omit the kidney beans for a thicker chili to serve over French fries. Top with cheese and bacon bits for cheesy chili-bacon fries.
Submitted by Mary Helen Klein
MERLOTTE’S CHICKEN STRIPS
TIME: PREP TIME 40 MINUTES, MARINATING
TIME 8 HOURS • SERVES 2–4
INGREDIENTS:
¼ cup buttermilk or unsweetened yogurt thinned with a touch of milk
1 tsp. cayenne
1 tsp. adobo or ½ tsp. curry powder
6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
2 cups oil or bacon grease
1 cup flour, as needed
Salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
Mix buttermilk or yogurt, cayenne, and adobo or curry powder into a gallon-sized ziplock freezer bag. Slice meat into thumb-thick strips. Put them in the ziplock bag, mash out all the air, and seal. Allow to marinate 8 hours in the refrigerator.
Heat oil or bacon grease in a large skillet. Season flour with plenty of salt and pepper, and pour into a brown paper bag or a gallon-sized ziplock bag. Shake chicken pieces, a few at a time, in the flour, then fry until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Serve hot.
Tip: Serve with French fries and either honey mustard or ranch dip.
Submitted by Terri Pine
MITCHELL’S FAVORITE MEATLOAF
TIME: PREP TIME 15 MINUTES, BAKING TIME 75 MINUTES • SERVES 4–5
INGREDIENTS:
1 lb. ground beef
1 egg
1 cup Italian bread crumbs
1 cup Parmesan cheese
Nonstick cooking spray
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Mix together ground beef, egg, bread crumbs, and cheese to form a loaf. Place in a pan sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Bake for 75 minutes (a little longer if necessary).
Tips: Can be glazed with your favorite tomato-based sauce 20 minutes before done. Great cold for sandwiches.
Submitted by Charlaine Harris
Supper
CALVIN’S CATFISH
TIME: PREP TIME APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES, COOKING TIME 5–7 MINUTES • SERVES 5
INGREDIENTS:
Peanut oil (enough to fill fryer—the typical home fryer holds 2 quarts but
ours holds 10 gallons)
2½ lb. pond-raised catfish fillets (½ lb. per person)
2 cups yellow cornmeal
1 tsp. salt (or to taste)
½ tsp. black pepper (or to taste)
Heat oil in deep fryer to 355 degrees F.
If catfish is frozen, thaw in cold water.
Add cornmeal to a small bowl and season to taste with salt and pepper. Roll catfish fillets in cornmeal mix, lightly shake off excess mix, and slip fillets into hot oil. Cook the fillets for about 5–7 minutes until they float; they are done when the crust is golden brown. Watch closely so that they do not overcook. Remove and let drain on folded paper towels.
Tip: Serve with coleslaw and hush puppies or French fries. Use ketchup, hot sauce, or tartar sauce for additional seasoning.
Submitted by Joe Jackson
CRAWDAD’S COUNTRY-FRIED STEAK
TIME: PREP TIME 45 MINUTES–1 HOUR, BAKING TIME 1 HOUR 10 MINUTES–1 HOUR 25 MINUTES • SERVES 4–5
INGREDIENTS:
1½ cups flour (plus ½ cup if using second gravy-making method)
½ tsp. salt (or to taste)
1 tsp. pepper (or to taste)
2–3 cups plus 1 cup milk (plus 2 cups if using second gravy-making method)
2 lb. tenderized steak, cut into serving pieces
½ cup cooking oil
Nonstick cooking spray
½ cup water
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Combine 1½ cups flour, salt, and pepper in a bowl; pour 2–3 cups milk into a separate bowl. Dredge the meat in the flour mixture, dip it in the milk, then dredge it in the flour mixture again. He
at oil in a large skillet. When the oil is hot, add the meat and brown it. You may need to add more oil.
When all the meat is browned, place it in a glass pan, whatever size will serve, sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Leave a little space between the pieces. Pour the water around the meat and cover dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, then remove aluminum foil and bake uncovered for 10 more minutes.
While meat is baking, pour the leftover seasoned flour into the leftover milk. You will need to add more milk when it’s time to make the gravy, probably another cup. If this process seems unhygienic to you, discard the seasoned flour and leftover milk. Instead, while meat is baking, combine ½ cup flour, salt and pepper to taste, and 2 cups fresh milk.