Hungry? Collard Green w/Hamhocks; Heavenly Corn on the Cobb; Gooey Cherry/ Pineapple Stuff

Have you ever ate something so good that you wanted to “tap yo’ mama‘s backside” and twirl around and do the jitter bug? Nothing else was invading your brain space other than it was going to be your mission of the day to prepare this food? Well I had one of those epiphanies.

I made this deal going into the holiday season that I would be a consciousness eater. That I would eat a lot of vegetables and go low on the carbohydrates. I had it all planned out weeks in advance -on paper, of course.

I wanted a mess of greens and corn on the cob. Now that sort of sounds like I am trying to keep my word does it not? Ok, maybe corn on the cob contains some starch but the greens defiantly is within parameters. However, my list kept growing. I thought of fried pork chops served with Motts natural applesauce, buttermilk biscuits for the pot liquor from the greens and a festive cranberry/ginger ale to wash it all down. Unconsciously, I licked my lips and closed my eyes and thought to top off a dinner like that I would have that gooey cherry/pineapple stuff. You know the one that’s loaded with butter, cake mix and nuts? Of course there would have to be a scoop of Edys Home Churned Vanilla Ice cream on top of it. I actually started developing hunger pains for this meal and I had not even had my morning cup of java.

Down here in North Carolina the Piggly Wiggly aka”the Pig” opens at 7am. This is the store to go to for thin pork chops, turkey wings, ham hocks, salt pork, jowl bacon, local greens and the buttermilk biscuit mix. You will also find Real Buttermilk, not the non-fat stuff.
The remainder of your ingredients can be found here as well, but it costs more. I suggest picking the rest up at your favorite super saver store.

If you start this meal first thing in the morning it will be ready by 2 pm. Grocery list found towards end of this meal)

Collard Greens with a Whole Lot of Meat
(Serves 6-10 Hungry People)

Render (cook on low heat 10-15 minutes turning over once or twice) about 6 slices of jowl bacon (don’t ask what this is just take a wild guess) and a few slices of salt pork (fat back) in a large 7 qt. Cast Iron Dutch Oven or stock pot. This produces the fat needed in this recipe. Leave rendered meat in pot.


Add 1 large chopped onion to rendered fat. Sauté till translucent adding the chopped garlic in the last couple of minutes. Add your ham hocks and smoked turkey wing. Cover with 1 qt of Swanson 99% fat free Chicken Broth and water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for at least 3 hours. Pull out turkey wing and cool down some, then tear the meat off the bones and place back into the pot. Go ahead and eat the wing tip and some of the skin. Your going to do it anyway.

Wash, rinse, roll and chop a bunch of greens, at least 3 bunches and add to the pot of simmered meats. Sprinkle about a big tsp. of red pepper flakes. Add about 2 tsp. of Lawry Seasoning. Do Not Substitute! Simmer greens for another couple of hours. IF needed add more chicken stock or water. Taste a small fork full of greens. You want these tender and lip smacking good. Add more Lawry’s Seasoning Salt at ½ tsp. intervals until it is to your taste. Please when serving these greens do not overlook the “pot liquor”. That is what we Southerner’s call all the liquid in the greens. I like to pour some in a little bowl and place it along side my plate. Just dip your buttermilk biscuits in this liquor. Don’t ask questions.


Start your corn preparation while your meats are simmering.

This is called: Died and Went to Heaven Corn on the Cob
(Serves 6 or break cobs in half, then 12)

Take about 6 ears of corn on the cob with husks on. Snap off tops. Peel down to last green husk. Leave intact. Get a bucket that can hold at least a gallon of water and place 1 cup salt and ½ cup of sugar into the bucket. Stir well. This is called a brine. Toss your corn into the bucket and get something heavy like an iron skillet and sink those bad boys for at least 4 hours or longer. While corn is brining take out 2 sticks of salted butter. I like Land-O-Lakes. Soften *one stick of the butter mix with ½ cup of real sour cream. Add ½ tsp. smoked paprika, ¼ tsp. garlic powder, 1 TBSP. of chopped parsley and ¼ cup of freshly grated parmesan cheese. Mix well. Place into an oblong dish and refrigerate. This is what you will slather your corn on the cob in.

Take 3 sopping wet corn on the cobs and place them on a microwave safe container. Do not add water. Microwave on high for 9 minutes. Repeat process with other 3. Peel the corn. Place them in your butter mixture and roll , roll, roll. Cover until serving time.


1 bottle of Ginger Ale to 1 bottle of Cranberry Juice. Serve over ice. Servings: 12

Southern Fried Thin Pork Chops

For this recipe you’ll need about 12 thin pork chops. 1 qt. of peanut oil heated in a large cast iron pot or whatever you like to fry at 375 degrees. Season the chops using a pork seasoning. Cover with an all purpose flour seasoned very lightly with salt and pepper. Dip the chops into the flour and shake off. Add no more than 3 pork chops in the oil. Fry approximately 5-7 minutes per side. Drain on rack and place in oven to keep warm.

I love using White Lily Buttermilk Baking Mix. I follow the directions using the whole buttermilk. Make them huge. It looks very country to hold these beauties in one hand and dip into the pot liquor.

Last but not least: Gooey Cherry/Pineapple Stuff
Preheat oven to 350 degrees, bake x 45-50 minutes or until golden

1 reg. size can of crushed pineapple, with juice
1 cherry pie filling
1 box of yellow butter cake mix(sprinkle all over)
1 stick of salted butter, melted (zigzag all over)
1 ½ cups of chopped pecans (as much as you want)

Grease a 9x12 baking dish. Add the above in the exact order and bake as directed above. Serve with your favorite vanilla ice cream. Please take some of this desert and hide it in your refrigerator. I absolutely 100% guarantee you this taste better the next morning right out the fridge or warmed with your cup of coffee.

Grocery List
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List: 3 ham hocks 1 Yellow Butter Cake Mix
1 smoke turkey wing 1 Reg. can crushed pineapple
1 pkg. of salt pork 1 can Cherry Pie Filling
12 Thin Pork Chops 1 ½ c. Chopped Pecans
Jowl Bacon (pre-sliced) 2 sticks of salted
3 bunches of collard greens (Land-O-Lakes)
6 corn on the cob 8oz. Sour Cream
1 large onion A Wedge of Parmesan Cheese
1 clove of garlic 1 Bottle of Cranberry Juice
1 large can of Swanson’s 99% fat free 1 Bottle of Ginger Ale
Chicken Broth 1 Qt. Whole Buttermilk
1 bottle of Lawry Seasoning Motts Natural Applesauce
Smoked Paprika Edy’s Home Churned Vanilla Ice Cream
Red Pepper Flakes White Lily Buttermilk Biscuit Mix
1 jar of Pork Seasonings (McCormick)
1 Qt. peanut Oil
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Favorite Cookware of the Week: 7 qt. Lodge Cast Iron Pro Logic Seasoned Dutch Oven

This is a Must Have for your kitchen! I received this Dutch Oven as a gift from my mother several years ago.It is highly versatile. Use it stove top or in the oven. Soups, stews, deep frying, pot roasts, breads...I use a glass lid when I cook on top of the stove and the cast iron lid when cooking in the oven to really seal in the juices or steam. This dutch oven will last for generations with minimal care. Once every 3 or 4 months I lightly rub the inside with vegetable oil and place it in the oven at 200 degrees for about an hour or so.

I have one smaller cast iron dutch oven that is over 80 years old. It was given to me by my father-in-law who was a great army chef. I use this one almost daily. The more you use cast iron the better the food tastes and the more non-stick it becomes.


Enjoy!

The Frye Girl To You