KATHERINE Womack, bestselling author
romance suspense & the heroine
The Inspiration Behind The Story
god's gifts, take time to flourish
like the butterfly, your transformation is instinctual.
you were created to soar.
Nana's
Recipes
1 whole chicken (8 pieces)
3 cups of buttermilk
5 cups of all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons of a mixture of seasonings of your choice
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons of black pepper
(freshly ground)
2 teaspoons dried thyme (ground)
1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
vegetable or canola oil , for frying)
NANA'S OVEN FRIED CHICKEN
NANA'S BANANA BREAD
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon of salt
½ cup butter
¾ cup brown sugar
2 large eggs (beaten)
1/4 cup of apple sauce
2 ⅓ cups of overripe bananas (mashed)
Nuts of your choice
(Walnuts are the best).
Ask your grand kids to leave the kitchen (if they're visiting).
You'll need peace and quiet for this masterpiece.
Preheat oven to 350°.
Lightly grease 9 x 5 loaf pan.
In large bowl, combine flour, soda and salt.
In separate bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar.
Stir in eggs, apple sauce and mashed bananas until well blended.
Stir banana mixture into flour mixture; stir just to moisten.
Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.
Bake in preheated oven for 60-65 minutes until a toothpick inserted into center of loaf comes out clean.
Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.
Clean and soak the chicken in 1 cup of apple cider vinegar and 1/4 cup of idonized table salt, for 1 hour, drawing out excess blood and impurities. Rinse twice before placing the chicken in a clean bowl, and soaking it in buttermilk for 24 hours, covered. Next, combine seasoning with the flour, and toss the chicken with it. Deep fry the chicken, on alternating sides, until slightly golden brown, and place on a baking rack or in a pan, with lemon wedges, fresh rosemary sprigs, and bake at 375 degrees, for 30 minutes, until golden brown.
WARNING: DO NOT SERVE this dish, to the GUESTS, who are always dropping by, hoping to stay for dinner. THis chicken is what causes this problem.
please note: this loaf makes the best housewarming gift, or that special "thinking of you" treat, that you'll deliver to a friend, wearing one of your best flared, dresses with a cinched-waistline. wrap it in seran wrap, brown crafting paper, and tie with raffia.
nanalicious gumbo
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup bacon drippings
1 cup coarsely chopped celery
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
1 large green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound Andouille sausage, sliced
3 quarts of water
6 cubes beef bouillon
1 tablespoon white sugar
seasonings of your choice
(Mrs. Dash, garlic powder, onion powder, etc)
1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
4 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed tomatoes
1 (6 ounce) can tomato sauce
2 teaspoons gumbo file powder
2 tablespoons bacon drippings
2 (10 ounce) packages frozen cut okra, thawed
2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
2 pounds of chicken drumettes
1 pound lump crab meat
3 pounds uncooked medium shrimp
(peeled and de-veined)
crap legs (the size depends on the size of your pot)
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons gumbo file powder
Lightly brown the drumettes, in cooking oil--although some have added them to the roux, raw.
Boil the water and add the beef bouillon cubes. Stir until the bouillon cubes dissolve, and whisk the roux mixture into the boiling water. Reduce heat to a simmer, and mix in the sugar, salt, Cajun seasoning, bay leaves, thyme, stewed tomatoes, and tomato sauce. Add the crab legs. Simmer the soup over low heat for 1 hour; mix in 2 teaspoons of file gumbo powder at the 45-minute mark.
Add 2 tablespoons of bacon drippings in a skillet, and cook the okra with vinegar over medium heat for 15 minutes; remove okra with slotted spoon, and stir into the simmering gumbo. Mix in crab meat, shrimp, and Worcestershire sauce, and simmer until flavors have blended, 45 more minutes. Just before serving, stir in 2 more teaspoons of file gumbo powder.
Serve with a bowl of Jasmine Rice, and prepare yourself for big hugs, when your guests' bellies are full.
Just like every other gumbo recipe, you'll start with a roux by whisking the flour and 3/4 cup bacon drippings together in a large, heavy saucepan over medium-low heat to form a smooth mixture. Cook the roux, whisking constantly, until it turns a rich mahogany brown color. This can take 20 to 30 minutes; watch heat carefully and whisk constantly or roux will burn. Remove from heat; continue whisking until mixture stops cooking.