Roasted Cauliflower with Texas Pete Whipped Feta

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Roasted Cauliflower with Whipped Feta

Things I Learned This Week Living In The South: 

1. There is a Mennonite woman in Chuckey Tennessee who goes by "Auntie Ruth" and makes a donut the size of my head that could launch the second Trojan War. I drove one hour for one of these donuts and would do it daily if my scale wouldn't judge me. 

2. I found a profound sense of relief knowing that one of my backup hairdressers can handle herself, while 7 months pregnant, on the laser tag field against an army of teenager boys from the local youth group. "Die mutherf*ckers!" was screamed as her hair (as close to God as it can get) didn't move. 

3. Though Beyonce was referencing a baseball bat, I have started to actually carry hot sauce in bag swag. About a year and a half late I have brought Texas Pete into my home. Thankfully they make bottles in all shapes and sizes. So no, I am not happy to see you. That is a bottle of Texas Pete in my pocket. 

Pictured above - roasted cauliflower wedges with a trio of whipped feta. From right to left. Ranch, Texas Pete, and classic with black pepper.  

Tomato Sandwich

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Tomato Sandwich

Things I Learned This Week Living In The South: 

1. If you find yourself in a cab with no way to pay the fare, you can pay with a pair of panties. And it's not dirty if you make the driver turn his head and not watch you take them off. Just leave them in door with the gum wrappers.  

2. Tomatoes are held in high regard here. Like false god status. I wish I were kidding but I am not. With tomato season comes tomato sandwiches, which I at first scoffed at, but have now had three in two days. 

3. Tomato sandwiches are best eaten with Bunny or Merita White Bread (think Wonder Bread but 1000 times better), Duke's Mayonnaise, and a garden fresh tomato. Salt and pepper to taste.  

Braised Okra

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Braised Okra

There are few things that one seems to skirt around when living in The South. Race, religions other than anything Christian based, and select foods. Namely okra. People either love them or hate them. 

I personally love them. Fried. Sauteed. Charred. They are all good to me. Hands down fried is the best though. Let's be real. It's really a superfood in my eyes. Loaded with potassium, fiber, vitamin C, and calcium it's really the best thing you can possibly fry up. 

When poorly done, Okra can become slimy. Which is the largest thing it has going against it. And the one thing you always hear from okra's opponents. Nothing slimy in life is good.

So this week when okra showed up in my CSA I was rather pleased. Now my challenge was 1. how little I received and 2. how can make this healthy and tasty while wanting nothing more than to slice, bread, and fry the shit out of it. 

Naturally with one quick sesh with The Google I was able to find a recipe that looked like it could get me through the next round of Men's Gymnastics at Rio 2016.

BRAISED OKRA

RECIPE BY PETER G AT SOUVLAKIFORTHESOUL  

Yes and Yes Book Club: Jane Eyre

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Caraway Seed Cake

Well kids this month I fess up that I just couldn't finish a book for book club. But I did finish the cake that I made for book club. Priorities ya know.  

This month I was challenged to read Jane Eyre over at Yes and Yes - check it out HERE. I have read many things in my life but I had somehow managed to miss this classic. So head on over to Yes and Yes and see what I thought of what little I read...and what more I watched on Netflix.  

Also get the recipe for Caraway Seed Cake. Trust me when I say you can eat this in the middle of the night with a swath of butter. 

Apple Butter

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Apple Butter

Wouldn't it be great if there was a chill in the air, the leaves were just at the peak of turning those shades of yellow and orange that send your mind to fuzzy distant memories, and you had large pot of apple butter simmering on the stove top? 

Instead it's hotter than hell, there's inner thigh chafing, Winona Ryder has made a triumphant return from her days at Saks Fifth Avenue looking fabulous in crazed mother chic, and I have a large pot of apple butter simmering on the stove top causing my beard to frizz and my glasses to steam over. 

Harvest season is upon us folks! Get your Ball Jars and canning tools out because it's time to sweat like you've just walked up the escalators trying to look like you're in a rush. The vegetables and fruit are coming in from the fields hand over fist and you need to keep up! My poor ice box is nearing maximum capacity with frozen berries and my cabinets are stocked full of pickles. My winter larder is going to be phat.  

As I mentioned above I am busy boiling down my apples and caramelizing my sugars with my jars sterilized and at the ready. Soon I will be nestled in corner of the sofa, Murder She Wrote on a loop, and sweat apple butter staining whatever ensemble I have chosen for that day's Netflix binge. 

APPLE BUTTER

RECIPE FROM GOURMET COOKBOOK 2004 EDITION

Check out the USDA Canning Guidelines HERE

For more canning fun check out this post on PICKLED STRAWBERRIES! Click here!