Outer Banks, NC
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Creamy Cole Slaw
Cucumbers in Vinegar - A Southern Staple for any Cookout!
Mamma's Southern Potato Salad
INGREDIENTS:
- 4 cups of Shredded Green Cabbage
- 1/2 cup of Shredded Carrots
- 1/2 cup of Shredded Purple Cabbage
-OR-
- 1 Bag of Shredded Slaw Mix
- 2 tbs. of finely ground onion - the water squeezed out of the onion
- 1/2 cup of Mayo
- 1 tbs. white vinegar
- 2 tsp. of white sugar
- 1 tsp. of celery seed
- 1/4 tsp. of salt & pepper
Combine the first 3 Ingredients in a large bowl and set aside. In a smaller bowl combine the rest of the ingredients to make the dressing. Add the dressing to the cabbage mixture a little at the time and gently toss to combine. Do not overdress the cabbage or the slaw will be soggy. Rest in the fridge for a while to marry the flavors or serve immediately. Can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator. Stir before serving. Keep chilled.
Mamma's Southern Potato Salad
Cucumbers in Vinegar - A Southern Staple for any Cookout!
Mamma's Southern Potato Salad
INGREDIENTS:
- 6 medium potatoes (2 lbs. or so)
- 1 cup of thinly sliced celery
- 1/2 cup of finely chopped onion
- 1/3 cup of chopped sweet pickles (bread & butters are best)
- 1 1/4 cups of Mayonnaise
- 2 tsp. of the sweet pickle juice
- 2 tsp. of white vinegar
- 2 tsp. of mustard
- 1 1/2 tsp. of salt
- 2 hard boiled eggs, chopped
Boil your eggs and set aside to cool. In a covered pot cook potatoes in salted boiling water for about 25 to 30 minutes or till tender but not falling apart. Peel and cube. Transfer to a large bowl. Add the celery, onion and pickle. In a different bowl combine the rest of the ingredients until blended. Add mayo mixture to the potatoes and lightly toss to coat. Carefully fold in the chopped eggs. Cover and chill thoroughly. Serves 8-12 people depending on the portion size.
Cucumbers in Vinegar - A Southern Staple for any Cookout!
Cucumbers in Vinegar - A Southern Staple for any Cookout!
Cucumbers in Vinegar - A Southern Staple for any Cookout!
This recipe is served at most of our family gatherings and cookouts. I grew up eating these all the time especially in the summer when our southern gardens were overrun with an abundance of cucumbers! Everyone has their own recipe. This is the basic one that I remember having the most.
Simple but yummy!
INGREDIENTS:
- Cucumbers
- Apple Cider -or- White Vinegar
- Salt & Pepper
- Thinly slice your cucumbers and put them in a bowl. They can be peeled or unpeeled.
- Toss with salt and set aside for a couple of hours.
- Rinse off some of the salt.
- Add enough apple cider or white vinegar to cover and sprinkle with pepper to taste.
- Refrigerate until you serve.
OuterBanker Baked Beans
Easy Italian Pasta Salad
Easy Italian Pasta Salad
- 2 - 28 oz. cans of Baked Beans (I used Bushes w/onions & brown sugar.
- 1 large vidalia onion cut up
- 3 slices of bacon cut in small pieces and divided
- 1/4 cup of prepared yellow mustard
- 10 ounces of raisins
- salt & pepper to taste
Heat olive oil in a skillet. Crisp one piece of the bacon slices. Remove bacon from pan. Add onions stir until 1/2 done. Add baked beans and stir to combine. Heat until bubbly on med heat. Remove from heat. Stir in mustard and raisins. Stir in the already cooked bacon. Transfer to a baking dish. Dot top with the rest of the raw bacon pieces. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for about 20 to 30 minutes or until bubbly and bacon on top is crisp. Let sit for a few minutes before serving. Enjoy!!!
Easy Italian Pasta Salad
Easy Italian Pasta Salad
Easy Italian Pasta Salad
- 8 oz. of Rotini Pasta ( I used whole grain)
- 1 tomato cut in to bite size pieces
- summer sausage or ham cut into bite size pieces
- 8 oz. of Monterey jack cheese cubed
- 1/2-3/4 cup of fresh green beans snapped into bite size pieces or 1 cup of blanched broccoli florets.
- 1 small jar of marinated artichoke hearts cut up
- 1/2 cup of Boathouse creamy Caesar yogurt dressing
- 1/4 cup of Boars Head Deli Dressing - like you would put on a sub. (Looks like olive oil) Shake well before using.
- 2 cups of mixed salad greens
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain & Set aside. Mix the Caesar and Deli dressing together with a whisk. Dump over noodles and toss to coat. Add the rest of the ingredients except for the salad greens and toss all to coat. Gently fold in the salad greens to coat. Serve warm or refrigerate and serve cold. Toss again before serving if you refrigerate.
Deviled Eggs - OuterBanker Style
Deviled Eggs - OuterBanker Style
Deviled Eggs - OuterBanker Style
Just about every southern gathering will include one thing...Deviled Eggs. Many people have their own spin on the recipe but this is the way my momma made them. I hope you enjoy!
- 12 Eggs (makes 24)
- 1/2 cup plus 1 tbl. of Mayo
- 1/3 cup of finely chopped bread & butter pickles plus 3/4 tbl. of pickle juice. OR 1/3 cup of sweet pickle relish & 1 tsp of pickle juice
- 1 tbl. of prepared yellow mustard
- 1/2 tsp. of black pepper
- 1/4 tsp of salt
- paprika for dusting
Place your eggs in a pot of water making sure to cover eggs completely with water. Boil medium sized eggs for 7 minutes and large eggs for 10 minutes. When they are finished put them directly into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Peel the eggs. Slice down the long side and remove the yolks. Set the whites aside. In a bowl crumble the egg yolks and add the next five ingredients. Stir well until blended and creamy. Spoon the yellow back into the eggs. Lightly sprinkle with paprika just to add a little color. In the above dish I also sprinkled a little chopped green onions to add more color.
Simple Garden Salad
Deviled Eggs - OuterBanker Style
Deviled Eggs - OuterBanker Style
The great thing about a simple garden salad is just that! It's supposed to be simple - aka - what's available! The basics are lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers and onions. I like adding sliced radishes and spinach leaves if available.
The two most important things are that your veggies are fresh and that you wash your veggies well - especially if you don't know what pesticides have been used on them. I raise my veggies without pesticides and when I can afford to I try to buy organic!!!
Quick Tip - Slice your Tomato ahead of time and sprinkle with salt & pepper. Let sit 5-10 minutes. It gets the juices flowing!!!
NEVER, EVER, EVER REFRIGERATE YOUR TOMATOES.
IT RUINS THEIR TASTE!
(Unless you have sliced it and you are saving it for much later or another day)
OuterBanker Garlic Bread
Deviled Eggs - OuterBanker Style
OuterBanker Garlic Bread
I like using a crispy bread for this like a Baguette or a French loaf. Also good on flatbreads and ciabatta. In a pinch leftover sub and hoagie rolls work, too.
- Bread
- 1 Stick Softened Butter
- 3 Tbl. Olive Oil
- 3 Tsp. Finely Chopped Garlic
- 2 Tsp. of Italian Seasoning
Mix above ingredients together and rub on sliced bread. Broil on middle rack at 400 degrees for about 5 minutes or until crispy.
DO NOT WALK AWAY - IT WILL BURN!!!!
I know this from experience....Earlier in my life my husband would say when the fire alarm went off "Come on kids, Dinners Ready!"
Ha, Ha, Ha.....Funny but True!!!!!
Fruit Platter - OuterBanker Style
Fruit Platter - OuterBanker Style
Fruit Platter - OuterBanker Style
What's easier and more healthy than serving a fresh fruit platter? You can use it as a side with dinner, along side cheese and crackers for a happy hour or with some scrambled eggs or a ham and cheese quiche for brunch! To make a beautiful platter use different textures and fruits that are easy to prep. I sliced up some kiwis and papayas, cubed some mangos and added a couple of bunches of grapes. Add the seeds of the Papaya for extra appeal!
Mamma's Southern Squash
Fruit Platter - OuterBanker Style
Fruit Platter - OuterBanker Style
Try this and I guarantee you will love it! Chop about 6 med sized fresh yellow squash into pieces that are the same size. Boil in a pot with some chicken broth until tender about 20-25 minutes. In the mean time cut 3 or 4 slices of thick sliced bacon into small pieces. In a deep frying pan saute the bacon in olive oil until crisp. Remove some of the crispier pieces and set aside. Leave most of the bacon and the oil in the pan. With a slotted spoon add the squash and stir fry on med. heat until nice and soft. Put in a serving bowl, top with the crispy bacon and sprinkle with a little bit of sliced green onions.
Grilled Local Produce
Fruit Platter - OuterBanker Style
Heirloom Tomato Salad From My OBX Garden
When grilling slice up a variety of veggies, coat with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, pepper and finely chopped garlic. Use a grill pan that has small holes so that the veggies don't fall through the grill. If you don't have a grill pan you can use some tin foil. Grill until the veggies are soft but don't over dot it! Serve along side your favorite grilled seafood, steak, pork or chicken or alone as a healthy vegan meal!!!
Heirloom Tomato Salad From My OBX Garden
Heirloom Tomato Salad From My OBX Garden
Heirloom Tomato Salad From My OBX Garden
Fresh from the Garden....or the Produce Stand!!!
Cut up different kinds of tomatoes and cucumbers into bite size pieces. Cucumbers can be peeled or not peeled. I added a little watermelon cubes to this, as well. If the tomatoes are small leave them whole. Mix together a couple tablespoons of olive oil with a 1/4 tsp of rice vinegar, a few leaves of torn fresh basil and salt and pepper. Toss to coat and serve!
Fig and Veggie Platter
Heirloom Tomato Salad From My OBX Garden
Purple Cabbage & Pecan Salad
I am lucky enough to have a huge beautiful fig tree in my yard and I love using them in all kinds of dishes. One of my favorites is just slicing them in half and serving with a variety of other raw veggies and fruits. The above platter has figs, cherries, grapes, broccoli, tomatoes, celery, carrots, small cubes of Havarti cheese and small deli sausages. This is awesome to serve as an appetizer platter, happy hour platter or along side some steamed shrimp or little sandwiches for a casual dinner or brunch.
Purple Cabbage & Pecan Salad
Heirloom Tomato Salad From My OBX Garden
Purple Cabbage & Pecan Salad
Ingredients
- 1 head of purple cabbage shredded or 1 bag coleslaw mix
- 1 cup of sweetened pecans chopped
- 3 scallions, chopped including the green part
Dressing
- 1/2 cup of white rice wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup of sugar
- 1/4 cup of sesame oil
- 1/4 cup of soy sauce
Whisk together the dressing ingredients and set aside. Can be made ahead of time and refrigerated. Take out about 15 minutes before using and shake well before pouring over the cabbage. When ready to serve pour dressing over the cabbage and mix well. Add pecans at last minute so they don't get soggy just before serving and toss to coat. Enjoy!!!
Simple Sweet & Sour Relish Plate
Simple Sweet & Sour Relish Plate
Simple Sweet & Sour Relish Plate
An easy dish for any occasion! At just about every occasion I put together some kind of a "Relish Dish". Above I have an assortment of olives, home made dills and some homemade bread & butter pickles. You can add anything. I like to have a little sweet with a little sour. If you are in a pinch just pick up a few jars of different things from your local grocer. Sometimes I add roasted red peppers and pickled mixed veggies for a little color. Fast, Easy and always enjoyed!!
Easy But Elegant Platters
Simple Sweet & Sour Relish Plate
Simple Sweet & Sour Relish Plate
Another Easy but Elegant idea is to take a pretty platter slice up some cheeses, add groups of fruit and sliced veggies and maybe a salty meat like prosciutto. Serve with some crusty bread or rustic crackers. Look's beautiful, again fits with any gathering and you won't have to spend hours in the kitchen!
Collards From Years Gone By
Simple Sweet & Sour Relish Plate
Collards From Years Gone By
- 2 to 3 Bunches of Collard Greens, thoroughly washed. May need to wash several times to remove sand!
- 6 Cups of Low Salt or No Salt Chicken Broth.
- 1 Ham bone with ham pieces on it (Best) or you can use ham pieces or ham hocks.
- 1 or 2 Tablespoons of Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 or 2 Tablespoons of Red Pepper Flakes or Texas Pete Hot Sauce for heat
- 1 teaspoon of sugar
- Black Pepper and Salt to Taste
- Water
I usually cook 2 or 3 bunches at the time. Remove the leaves from the stems of the collards and toss the stems in your compost pile. Wash your collard leaves well. I wash my collards at least 3 times to get rid of any sand. In a large pot combine 1 ham bone with ham bits on it or some ham pieces or a ham hock with 6 cups of no salt or low salt chicken broth and enough water to cover your collard leaves when you add them to the pot. Add 1 tablespoon of Texas Pete hot sauce or 1 tablespoon of red pepper flakes for a little heat. Add a couple of tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and 1 teaspoon of sugar. Add salt & black pepper to taste. Remember the ham is salty so always taste before adding more salt. Mix the liquid ingredients in the pot together. Place your torn collard leaves into the pot and bring to a boil. If they are sticking out of the water some it is ok because as they cook down they shrink right much and all should eventually fit. Once the collards on the bottom have shrunk stir them so the uncooked leaves are down on the bottom. All should end up being covered in your liquid. In the south they refer to the liquid part as "Pot Liquor". Cover and cook until tender. Could take up to an hour or two. You may need to add more water or Chicken broth if your cooking liquids get low. You don't want the collards to stick to the bottom of the pot so stir often. Enjoy!!!!!