Scampi

While scampi is synonymous with shrimp as the main ingredient, a slight variation uses chicken breast cut into small pieces similar in size to medium shrimp.  While both recipes are equally delicious, the chicken appeals to those cooks seeking to prevent possible allergic reactions to seafood.

Scampi Success
3 each        large Roma tomatoes (finely chopped)
2 tbsp.        extra virgin olive oil
2 each        whole bay leaves
2 cloves      garlic (or prepared garlic)
1/4 tsp.       salt
1/4 tsp.       black pepper
20 each       fresh jumbo shrimp (or 2 each large chicken breasts cut to size)
1/4 cup       whole milk
1/3 cup       self-rising flour
3/4 cup       extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp.        salted butter
2 cloves      garlic (or prepared garlic)
2 tbsp.        lemon juice
2 sprigs       parsley (finely chopped)
1 box         linguine pasta

Place chopped tomatoes, 2 tablespoons olive oil, bay leaves, 2 cloves garlic, salt and pepper. Bring to boil; reduce heat. Cover and simmer until tomatoes are tender, about 5 minutes. Remove garlic and bay leaf. 

Peel, devein and butterfly shrimp.  Dip shrimp in milk, then in flour, shaking off excess flour. Sprinkle shrimp lightly with salt. In large skillet, heat remaining olive oil. Add about half the shrimp at a time.
Cook, uncovered, over medium heat until shrimp are done, about 3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towel.

In another small pot, melt butter; cook chopped garlic in butter until tender. Add tomato pulp and lemon juice; mix well. Drain olive oil fromshrimp pan. Pour tomato sauce over shrimp. Sprinkle with parsley. Mix gently with cooked linguine and serve immediately.
Serves 4.

Comment from Chase Goode
  "Shrimp scampi was one of my Mom's favorite meals." 

Great Grits

Grits are more than food to true Southerners.  They are a reminder of our heritage and survival under some of the more harsh conditions in our past.  Regardless of the jokes, negative comments and ridicule endured by Southerners, grits will always belong in a Southern home.

Great Grits
1 cup        grits (white or yellow)
2 cups      water
½ cup       whole milk
1 stick       salted butter
½ cup       sharp cheddar cheese (shredded) - This is optional


Place grits and water into a pot
Boil until the grits are tender (remember to stir constantly to prevent sticking to the pot)
  Note:  Bring to a high boil and then turn down to a low boil
Add milk and stir until the grits begin to thicken
Place on plate (grits should no run (spread out))
Add butter, cheese, salt and black pepper to individual taste (it is OK to add cheese)


Comment from my Wife
  "Grits are like fresh air and sunshine when they are cooked correctly.  They lift one's spirit; especially,  for breakfast on a cold morning."

Comment from Chase Goode
  "A man has not lived life until he has tasted grits cooked in a true Southerner's home."

White Fruit Cake

This fruit cake recipe was a favorite of Grandma.  She detested citron in fruit cake and worked diligently to find a recipe free of citron.  We think that she hit a home run with her citron free recipe that we call White Fruit Cake.

White Fruit Cake
2 sticks            salted butter
1 cup               sugar
¾ tsp               baking powder
2 cups              plain flour
½ lb                 red candied cherries
½ lb                 green candied cherries
½ lb                 candied pineapple
1 cup               blond raisins
1 cup               dark raisins
1 cup               chopped dates
1 quart             shelled pecans (uncooked)
2 tsp                vanilla extract
1 tsp                lemon extract
5 each              large eggs

*Preheat oven to 300ºF
*Cream butter with mixer or by hand
*Add sugar and continue creaming the butter mixture
*Beat eggs in a separate bowl and slowly add to the butter mixture
*Add vanilla and lemon extract to mixture
*Add pecans to mixture
*Place all fruit into a separate bowl 
*Pour flour over the fruit and stir until fruit is coated with the flour
*Pour butter mixture and fruit into a large container and mix thoroughly
*Grease and flour a large Bundt pan
*Pour mixture into Bundt pan
*Place in oven on middle rack
*Place a shallow pan of water on lower rack (maintains moister)
*Bake for 2 hours (do not open oven door for at least 2 hours unless severe browning has occurred)
*Stick fruit cake with a wooden toothpick.  If it comes out clean the cake is done.

Comments from my Wife (a Grand Daughter):
  "I have made grandma's white fruit cake and it is a labor of love.  It tastes nothing like commercial fruit cakes and rarely has anyone who has tasted it make corny fruit cake jokes again."

"I too have a distaste for citron and dry fruit cake.  This fruit cake is moist and the taste is fabulous."
                                                                                                              Chase Goode    

Chocolate Fudge

While there are many versions of this old time chocolate fudge recipe,  Mom and Dad made this version for us every Christmas.  Now that Mom has passed and Dad in up in age it is rare indeed to taste this very special treat.  However, when I do taste it is brings back a flood of good memories about times now long gone.  This is a recipe that requires patience and skill to achieve a fudge that is in a class by itself.  None of the modern day recipes using confectioner's sugar as an ingredient come close to the flavor and texture of the old time version.  If you try it, I am confident that you will like it.

Mom & Dad's Chocolate Fudge
2 cups                sugar
2 tbsp                 Hersheys® cocoa
1½ cups             whole milk
 ½ stick              salted butter

*Combine all ingredients in a medium sized pot
*Gradually, bring the liquid to a boil on medium heat by constantly stirring (do not use high heat)
*When the liquid begins to slightly bubble, test consistency by dropping a small droplet of chocolate into a cold cups of water.  If the droplet forms a small ball in the water, it is ready.  If the droplet shatters, it is not ready
*Once the chocolate is ready, remove from heat and start to beat the chocolate with a wooden spoon
*The chocolate will gradually thicken and change from a dark chocolate color to a light chocolate color
*Once the chocolate starts to thicken, pour into a Pyrex dish greased with butter
*Allow chocolate to become firm and then cut into 2" squares

Comment from Dad:
  "The more candy you make the better you will get at making candy.  Every batch is an adventure."

"Making candy is making memories."
                                      Chase Goode

Manicotti With Meat

Admittedly, no branch of our family tree is from Italian descent, but does not prevent us from having great recipes for Italian dishes.  Great is defined as recipes than are endeared to our family and warrant inclusion on our Chase Goode Food blog.  This is our youngest daughter's version of manicotti and one we all love.

Manicotti With Meat
14 each         manicotti shells (uncooked)
½ lb              lean ground beef
½ lb              lean ground pork
2 cups           grated mozzarella cheese
4 each           large eggs slightly beaten
¼ cup           seasoned bread crumbs
¼ cup           grated parmesan cheese
¼ cup           finely chopped sweet onion
¾ tsp            oregano
½ tsp            salt
⅛ tsp            black pepper
1¾ cups        spaghetti sauce

*Boil manicotti shells until tender (do not over cook)
*Drain off water and place manicotti shells on aluminum foil to dry
*Preheat oven to 350ºF
*Brown the meat in a soup pot and pour off excess grease
*Mix meat, mozzarella cheese, eggs, bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, onion, oregano, salt and pepper together
*Fill each manicotti shell with a portion of the above meat mixture
*Spray or grease a large Pyrex casserole dish with olive oil  (large = 13"(L) x 9"(W) x 2"(D))
*Pour a thin layer of spaghetti sauce on the bottom of the greased Pyrex dish
*Place filled manicotti shells on the thin layer of spaghetti sauce (side by side)
*Cover filled manicotti shells with remaining spaghetti sauce
*Cover shells with aluminum foil
*Place Pyrex casserole dish in oven and bake for approximately 45 minutes (hot and bubbly)
*Remove from oven and top with grated parmesan cheese (or for a change use sharp cheddar cheese)
*Serve hot and enjoy



Comments from our Youngest Daughter:
  "Make this dish for those rare special occasions where the decision has been made to abandon the calorie count.  It is a wonderful dish,but it is not a weekly event for those watching their weight."
  "I prefer to use Skinner® brand manicotti shells based on past results."

  "This is a meal with a real WOW factor.  Share with family and friends during those special times you want to create lasting memories."
                                                                              Chase Goode 
   

Rice Pudding

Rice is a staple food for many homes in the Southeastern United States; especially, near the coast where rice farming still exists today.  In fact rice is the primary food source for the majority of the world's population and is enjoyed by millions in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America and South America.  This is a traditional rice recipe that serves as a vegetable entree or dessert depending on the cook.  It has stood the test of time and will continue to do so for quite some time.

Rice Pudding
1½ cups           cooked white rice
2 each              large eggs
1 tsp                vanilla extract
2 cups              milk
2 tblspn            melted butter
½ cup              sugar (can add more to taste)
½ tsp               cinnamon
¼ tsp               nutmeg
¾ cup              raisins

*Preheat oven to 350ºF
*Beat egg whites and yolks together
*Grease a large Pyrex glass casserole dish with butter
*Combine rice, beaten eggs, vanilla extract, milk, melted butter and milk together and stir briefly to mix
*Pour mix into greased casserole dish and spread to an even depth
*Sprinkle cinnamon, nutmeg and raisins on top of the mixture
*Place in oven and bake for approximately 1 hour or until the mixture is firm (done)

Comments from Grandma:
  "This was one of my favorite desserts when I was a little girl.  It is still one of my favorite desserts today."

"Rice in any form is one of my favorite foods.  White, brown, wild, long grain, short grain, converted...I don't care.  One of my favorites is in 'chicken bog', but that is another recipe."
                                                                                                    Chase Goode  

    

Carolina Gold

This recipe for homemade grape wine has existed in the family for over 100 years.  It is a time honored and taste proven recipe for producing a wonderful dessert wine that we have named Carolina Gold.  It is a white wine that turns to a deep golden color over time.  Our family has been able to store the bottled wine for a least one year in a cool, dry place with a significant mellowing in its taste.

Carolina Gold


2 gallons        Fully ripe Scuppernong grapes  (2 gallons of grapes usually makes 1 gallon of grape juice)
½ cup            yellow cornmeal
3 pounds       sugar (3 pounds of sugar for every 1 gallon of grape juice)


*Crush grapes by hand into a crock, butter churn, glass or plastic container at least 3 gallons in size.  Never use a metal container as the liquid will take on a metallic taste.  Remember to place both grape juice and grape hulls into the container.
*Cover the opening of the container with cheese cloth or linen cloth to protect crushed grapes from insects and debris
*Let crushed grapes and liquid stand as is for at least 24 hours.  30 hours is better.
*Strain liquid and grape hulls through a a piece of cheese cloth or linen cloth
*Squeeze the grape hulls in the strainer cloth to extract as much juice as possible
*Throw the squeezed hulls away and retain all of the grape juice
*Place the grape juice back into the container (crock)
*Add all of the sugar to the grape juice in the crock and stir until the sugar has dissolved completely
*Add the yellow cornmeal to start the fermentation process by stirring it thoroughly in the grape juice
*Cover the container (crock) opening with cheese cloth or linen cloth and secure with a rubberband or string
*Let the mixture stand in the container (crock) for 10 days to complete the fermentation process  (Note:  You should take a spoon or ladle and skim the foam off the top of the fermenting juice each day.
*By the 10 day the grape juice should have turned to wine
*Although not part of the original process, winemakers clay can be stirred into the wine to bind with any impurities and settle them to the bottom of the container (crock)
*Now take a glass or plastic ladle and slowly pour the wine into sterilized Mason jars or wine bottles
*The yield should be about 4 quarts
*Place sterilized lids loosely on jars and make a quarter turn each day to tighten lids completely over a 4 day time period.  If using sterilized wine bottles, put stoppers very loosely into bottle and let stand for 4 days, then push stopper into bottle completely.  Store wine in a cool, dry place and enjoy.
*Expect some sediment in the bottom of the jars or bottles over time.  The clarity will improve as the sediments fall to the bottom
*Wine can and does turn to vinegar over time, but this too can be used instead of apple cider vinegar


Comments from Grandma:
  "This is an old time recipe that uses cornmeal instead of yeast to start the fermentation process.  The wine has a low alcohol content and was served typically to the ladies at family gatherings; whereas, the men had the hard stuff (moonshine)."

"This is a great homemade wine if you have the time and patience to make it right.  Make absolutely sure all jars, bottles, lids and /or stoppers have been sterilized by boiling to prevent contamination."
                                                                                                                Chase Goode