Sunday, November 15, 2015

15 November 2015








It has been a chilly, but nice, Fall weekend in Canton, Georgia, and it's hard to believe Thanksgiving is coming week after next. The weekend began on Friday with happy hour cocktails at the Mancini's Tradition bar. I still love this bar and this room, and it was nice seeing several friends there that evening. Afterward, we had a another great dinner at Chon Ngern Thai Restaurant. The food just keeps getting better, and the service is warm and friendly.

On Saturday, we attended the Veterans Day celebration in Canon Park. It had been rained out the weekend before, but Saturday was picture perfect. I was asked to ride in the parade along with Mayor Hobgood and other City Council members, and it was an honor and privilege to pay tribute to our veterans. Sandy McGrew, Farris Yawn and John Rust also participated in the parade. On Saturday night, we went to the Cherokee Arts Center for the second annual "Variety is the Spice of Life" show. Sandy McGrew did a great job as emcee of the event, and the talent was incredible. It was nice seeing so many friends who came out to support this fundraiser for the Arts Center.

We came home right after the variety show because I was feeling under the weather. I felt a little better today but not great. It was chilly and overcast, so I decided I needed to spend some time in the kitchen. I searched around for a unique Southern comfort food dish, and I landed on a Chicken Bog. The dish is basically a version of chicken and rice with a southern twist. I sourced a few different recipes and my version was a hybrid with a few twists. I don't think these is anything more comforting than the smell of chicken cooking on a cloudy and cold Sunday afternoon. I decided I needed to serve something green with the bog, so I found some fresh Swiss Chard in season and wilted it with a little bacon and red wine vinegar dressing. For desert, I found an old recipe for a simple Georgia Apple Cake that is baked in a pie pan. It is very easy to make with just a few ingredients. I topped it with a Caramel Whiskey Sauce and some bourbon whipped cream. It was really wonderful and hassle free.

This week will require lots of planning Thanksgiving Day, and it is my favorite meal to cook all year long. I love the smell of turkey roasting in the oven, and I always get a bit nostalgic making my mother's cornbread dressing. I look forward to giving thanks for another year of blessings, especially when there is so much violence and sadness in this world. On that note, Vive la France...


The Menu:


- Deep South Chicken Bog

- Wilted Swiss Chard with Hot Bacon Dressing

- Georgia Apple Cake with Caramel Whiskey Sauce and
Bourbon Whipped Cream


The Recipe – Deep South Chicken Bog

Ingredients:

1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes, drained
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons peanut oil
4 chicken thighs trimmed of any fat
2 chicken breasts cut in half
Salt to taste
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1 cup chopped celery
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups uncooked long-grain white rice
4-5 cups chicken stock
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
2-3 teaspoons hot sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350.

Drain the diced tomatoes, toss with olive oil and season with pepper to taste. Set aside.

Heat the butter and peanut oil over medium heat in an ovenproof dutch oven with a lid. Add the chicken thighs and saute for about 2 minutes per side until golden brown. Remove the thighs, season with salt and pepper, and reserve. Repeat with the chicken breasts using the same method. Pour off all of the grease and juices except for two tablespoons.

Add the onion and celery to the reserved oil, and saute over medium heat for about 5 minutes until translucent. Add the garlic and rice and saute, stirring for about 3 minutes until the rice is translucent.

In a small saucepan, heat the stock to a simmer. Return the chicken to the pot with the rice and add the hot stock, reserved tomatoes, herbs, and hot sauce. Stir well to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cover tightly and bake in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes until the chicken and rice are cooked and the liquid is absorbed. The bog is supposed to be very moist, so don't worry about excess liquid. Remove the thyme and bay leaves. Check the seasoning for salt and pepper, toss in the lemon juice, and serve immediately.




Sunday, November 1, 2015

01 November 2015








After a week in Las Vegas, it's very nice to be home. We traveled with Jeff's parents and had a great time. Several of our Canton friends joined us for a few days, including Rick and Elaine Roberts, Cory Wilson, John Clark, Jennifer Dunn, Luanne West, and Tom and Betty Roach. Rick, Elaine, John and Cory came out to see Olivia Newton-John's residency show, Summer Nights, at the Flamingo. I've been an adoring fan since I was seven years old and bought my dad her "Let Me Be There" album for Fathers Day. Once he played it, I took it back and have been a fanatic ever since. It's been 44 years since her first American hit song, a cover of Bob Dylan's "If Not for You," and she is still going strong. She is in excellent voice and still looks beautiful, and her show alone is worth the trip to Vegas. She nailed every high note and mesmerized the audience with her rendition of "Send in the Clowns." In fact, she was so entertaining, Jeff and I returned on Friday night to see her again! We also got to see Elton John at Caesar's Palace and David Copperfield at MGM. Both of those shows were also great.

Of course, we had some excellent food in Las Vegas. One of my all time favorites is Joe's Seafood, Prime Steaks & Stone Crab, and we had dinner there on two nights. I enjoyed a wonderful filet the first time and the largest King Crab claws I've ever seen on the second night. The King Crab are only in season two weeks out of the year, so that was a real treat. Of course I also had some Stone Crabs at both dinners since they also recently came into season. However, I did show some restraint by only having their Key Lime Pie the first time around. In addition to Joe's, I introduced the Browns to one of my only fast food favorites, In-n-Out Burger! It's always on my list in Vegas or whenever I am in California. In addition to the typical Vegas activities, we also spent a day at Red Rock National Park. The natural splendor is somewhat alien looking but dramatically beautiful.

We returned home on Halloween night, and I was bummed that I missed the last Canton Farmers Market. I made a comment on Facebook about my longing for one last baked good from Whim-Wham Art Farm, but low and behold, Mary Fischer-Mullins made a house call to leave a couple of their heavenly Cinnamon Rolls at my front door! I was very grateful for her generosity, and the gesture made my night. With the rainy weather today, I decided to make a pot of chili for Sunday Supper. I intended to bake cornbread to accompany the chili but opted at the last minute to make some Bacon and Chive Hoecakes from some Rocking S Farms cornmeal. It was the perfect choice, and we devoured all six of them.

This week will bring the municipal elections on Tuesday, and I am hoping for good results. It will also bring another trip out of town to meet with a client in Detroit, followed by an overnight trip to Chicago next Sunday. In spite of the hectic travel schedule, I am truly thankful for the business, great food, good friends and, oh, those summer nights that warm my heart in Fall.




The Menu:

- Savory Beef and Red Bean Chili

- Bacon and Chive Cast Iron Hoecakes


The Recipe – Bacon and Chive Hoecakes

Ingredients:

3/4 cup self-rising flour
1 1/4 cup fine cornmeal
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2/3 cup low fat buttermilk
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup bacon grease (optional)
1/3 cup sour cream
1 egg
1/3 cup fresh chives, chopped
1/2 cup crisp bacon, finely chopped
Vegetable oil, combined with some bacon grease if desired, for frying

Directions:

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt.

Combine buttermilk, water, bacon grease, sour cream and slightly beaten egg in a small bowl. Blend well until just combined.

Pour buttermilk mixture into dry ingredients, and mix just until a thick batter forms. Stir in chives and bacon, but don't over mix.

Heat oil and bacon grease in a cast-iron or heavy skillet over medium heat. Use about a quarter cup of batter for each cake, and cook them as you would pancakes. Fry on one side for about three minutes or until crisp and golden brown, then flip and cook for another couple of minutes. Add oil as needed, to avoid sticking, and place the hoecakes on a paper towel lined plate to absorb some of the excess oil. Serve warm.