Authors: Paula Deen
The Lady and Sons (20 page)
Cream together butter and powdered sugar; add eggs. Beat ingredients until fluffy. Spread over crust. Chill. Add topping.
TOPPING
| 1½ cups sliced and sweetened strawberries, drained | 1 cup whipped cream |
Fold strawberries into whipped cream. Spread over chilled pie. Chill for at least 8 hours. Garnish with whole berries and mint leaves.
SERVES 6 TO 8
| 3 eggs 1 cup dark corn syrup ½ cup sugar 4 tablespoons (½ stick) butter, melted | 1 cup canned pumpkin 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 cup chopped pecans One 9-inch unbaked pie shell Whipped cream |
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. With hand beater, beat eggs well. Beat in corn syrup, sugar, butter, pumpkin, and vanilla until well blended. Arrange pecans in bottom of pie shell. Slowly pour egg mixture over them. Bake for 1 hour or until knife inserted 1 inch from edge comes out clean. Serve with whipped cream.
SERVES 6 TO 8
| 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter 2 cups sifted cake flour | ¼ teaspoon salt 3 to 6 tablespoons ice water |
Cut butter into dry ingredients. Slowly add ice water. Knead dough and roll out on dough board, or press into bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie plate.
FILLING
| ½ pound (2 sticks) butter 2 cups sugar 7 egg yolks, beaten | 1½ teaspoons vanilla ½ cup heavy cream 2 tablespoons cornmeal |
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter and sugar; add egg yolks, vanilla, and cream. Gently blend in cornmeal. Pour into chess pie pastry. Bake until light brown on top, about 35 to 45 minutes.
SERVES 6 TO 8
| One 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk ½ cup lemon juice 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest | 3 egg yolks One 8-inch prebaked pie shell or crumb crust |
In medium bowl, combine milk, lemon juice, and zest; blend in egg yolks. Pour into cooled crust.
MERINGUE
| 3 egg whites ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar | ¼ cup sugar |
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Beat egg whites with cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in sugar until stiff. Spread over filling; seal to edge of crust. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until meringue is golden brown.
SERVES 6 TO 8
| ⅓ cup plus ¼ cup sugar 3 tablespoons constarch ¼ teaspoon salt 1½ cups milk 2 egg yolks, lightly beaten | 2 tablespoons butter 2 teaspoons vanilla 2 egg whites 2 bananas, sliced One 9-inch prebaked pie shell |
In a saucepan over medium heat, combine ⅓ cup sugar with the corn-starch and salt. Blend in milk, then egg yolks. Cook and stir until mixture thickens. Remove from heat; stir in butter and vanilla. Cool to room temperature. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form; gradually add ¼ cup sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Fold into egg yolk mixture. In pie shell, alternate layers of banana slices and cream filling. Cover and chill. Top with whipped cream and additional sliced bananas, if desired.
SERVES APPROXIMATELY 20
| 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter 1 cup all-purpose flour ½ cup chopped pecans One 8-ounce package cream cheese 1 cup powdered sugar | 1 quart heavy cream, whipped with 1 cup sugar until stiff Two 3.4-ounce packages instant chocolate pudding mix 3 cups milk |
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a 13
×
9
×
2-inch glass dish, melt butter and stir in flour and ¼ cup of the nuts. Bake about 20 minutes, until firm. Let cool.
First layer: Combine cream cheese, powdered sugar, and 1 cup of whipped cream. Layer over cooked nut crust.
Second layer: Combine instant pudding mix and milk. Layer over first layer.
Third layer: Combine remaining whipped cream and remaining chopped nuts. Layer over top. Keep refrigerated.
The Lady & Sons
For extra-tender pastry, cut in half of the shortening until the mixture is like cornmeal; then cut in the remaining shortening until it is like small peas.
| 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt | ⅔ cup Crisco shortening 5 to 7 tablespoons cold water |
Sift together flour and salt; cut in shortening with pastry blender until pieces are the size of small peas. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon water over part of mixture. Gently toss with fork; push to side of bowl. Repeat until all is moistened. Form into 2 balls. Flatten each on lightly floured surface by pressing with edge of hand three times across in both directions. Roll from center to edge until ⅛ inch thick.
YIELDS APPROXIMATELY 5 DOZEN
| 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter One 16-ounce box brown sugar 4 eggs, lightly beaten ½ teaspoon vanilla | 2 cups all-purpose flour 1½ teaspoons baking powder Pinch of salt 2 cups chopped pecans |
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Melt butter and sugar together in the top of a double boiler; remove from heat. Add eggs and vanilla. In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to egg mixture; mix well. Stir in nuts. Drop spoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet and bake for 15 to 20 minutes.
The Lady & Sons
YIELDS APPROXIMATELY 4 DOZEN
| 1 cup Crisco shortening 1½ cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar 2 eggs 2¾ cups sifted all-purpose flour | 2 teaspoons cream of tartar teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon salt teaspoons ground cinnamon |
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream shortening, 1½ cups sugar, and eggs. Sift together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. Combine with egg mixture. Chill dough thoroughly and then roll into balls the size of a small walnut. Roll in mixture of 2 tablespoons sugar and the cinnamon. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes on an ungreased baking sheet until lightly browned but still soft.
APPROXIMATELY 4 DOZEN
| 1 pound (4 sticks) butter 4 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt | 1 cup sour cream 1 cup buttermilk |
Cut butter into dry ingredients. Add sour cream and buttermilk. Mix well. Divide into four parts, flour well, and fold like a rectangular envelope. Refrigerate overnight. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Remove one part at a time, and roll thin. Make strips 1 inch wide and 7 inches long. Wrap around foil-covered clothespins. Bake for 15 minutes, or longer if needed. Set aside to cool.
FILLING
| 1½ cups Crisco shortening 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter 1 cup sugar | 1 egg white teaspoons vanilla ½ cup hot milk |
Cream together shortening and butter. Add sugar and beat well. Add egg white and vanilla; beat thoroughly. Add hot milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, and beat until creamy. Put into cookie press or pastry tube and fill cookies.
YIELDS 6 TO 8 DOZEN
This is a very old Southern recipe that has been handed down from one generation to another.
| 4 cups all-purpose flour teaspoon baking soda teaspoons baking powder 2 cups sugar | 2 eggs ½ cup buttermilk ½ pound (2 sticks) butter, softened 1 teaspoon vanilla |
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl sift flour, baking soda, and baking powder together. Add remaining ingredients and blend well. Dough should be soft. Roll dough out onto a floured surface until approximately ¼ inch thick. Cut dough into desired shapes and bake on a slightly greased sheet for 10 to 12 minutes.
YIELDS APPROXIMATELY 8 DOZEN
| 1 cup granulated sugar 1 cup brown sugar 1½ cups Crisco shortening 3 eggs, beaten 4½ cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda | 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg ½ teaspoon ground cloves 1 cup ground pecans |
Cream sugars and shortening; add eggs. Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; add to sugar mixture. Add cinnamon,
nutmeg, cloves, and nuts. Roll into several small, oblong rolls. Chill until cold. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Slice dough into thin cookies. Bake for 12 minutes.
YIELDS APPROXIMATELY 100
| 1 cup chopped pecans 2½ cups all-purpose flour ¾ cup granulated sugar | ½ pound (2 sticks) butter 1 teaspoon vanilla One 16-ounce box powdered sugar |
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine all ingredients except for powdered sugar. Roll into small “fingers” or balls. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes. Roll immediately in powdered sugar.
YIELDS APPROXIMATELY 20
| ½ pound (2 sticks) butter 2 cups packed brown sugar 1 cup light corn syrup ½ teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon vinegar | 1 teaspoon vanilla ⅓ cup peanut butter 1½ cups uncooked rolled oats ½ cup chopped pecans |
Melt butter in large saucepan. Stir in brown sugar, syrup, salt, and vinegar. Cook over high heat to firm ball stage. Remove from heat. Stir in remaining ingredients; pour into greased 8-inch square pan and chill. Cut into squares. Wrap each piece in wax paper.
YIELDS 15 TO 20
| One 16-ounce box graham crackers 12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) butter 1 cup sugar 1 egg | ½ cup milk 1 cup chopped pecans 1 cup or 3½-ounce can shredded coconut |
Line a 13 × 9-inch pan with whole graham crackers. Melt butter in saucepan and add sugar. Beat egg and milk together; add to butter mixture. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add nuts, coconut, and 1 cup graham cracker crumbs. Pour over crackers in pan. Cover with another layer of whole graham crackers. Prepare topping.
TOPPING
| 2 cups powdered sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla | 4 tablespoons (½ stick) butter 3 tablespoons milk |
Beat all ingredients together and spread over top layer of crackers. Chill. Cut into squares.
YIELDS 5 DOZEN
| ¾ pound (3 sticks) butter, softened cup sugar egg yolks 3¾ cups all-purpose flour | ¼ teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon vanilla Any tart preserves (plum, for example) |