Black Eye Gravy (Easy Version)

As good as Red Eye Gravy is, and as essential as it is for Southern style Grits, some people can't eat it. Grease isn't tolerated by everybody, particularly in California. So, we have an alternative.

• A pot of Black Bean Soup.
• Coffee.

1. Take a pot of Black Bean Soup, drain it in a strainer, set the beans aside.
2. Pour the strained juice into a frying pan, heat it and let it simmer.
3. Add coffee, let it simmer some more.
4. Pour over yer grits.

Red Eye Gravy (Easy Version)

After an evening of St Patricks dinner, there's corned beef fat, to be had. And always leftover coffee.

• Corned beef fat.
• Coffee.

1. Heat a chunk of fat in a pan - maybe a minute or two in the microwave, until it turns to liquid (aka grease).
2. Add coffee to taste.
3. Some recipes call for added salt, pepper, and / or sugar, when you use bacon or ham. With corned beef, that's your choice. I didn't add anything.
4. Simmer a few seconds.
5. Pour over grits.
6. Yer done. Grits are healthy. Red eye gravy ain't healthy. If y'all want healthy, try black eye gravy.

Grits (Easy Version)

No self respectin' Southerner uses instant grits. I take pride in my grits.

Maury Chaykin, My Cousin Vinnie

I take pride in my grits, too, but in California, instant grits may be the only choice. You can still cook them southern style - slow and easy.

This is one large serving (says 2 servings on the package, but that's California).

• 1 1/2 C water.
• 5 heaping T (1/3 C) grits.
• Salt and pepper.

1. Put water in microwaveable pan.
2. Add salt and pepper.
3. Add grits.
4. Cook in microwave oven - 6 minutes @ 100%, 14 minutes @ 30%.
5. Remove from oven, stir, scoop onto plate (southern style, you eat with a fork).
6. Add black eye gravy or red eye gravy (or butter if you're in a hurry).

Grits are healthy - neither red eye gravy (aka grease and coffee) - nor butter (aka grease) is. But boy, is it good.

Curry Garlic Chicken

This was a good alternative to the traditional Thanksgiving turkey.

• half a dozen chicken breasts, skinned
  
• 1/2 stick (1") cinnamon, halved
  
• 2 cloves garlic
  
• 1 medium onion
  
• 1 t ginger
  
• 1/2 t curry powder
  
• 1/4 t cumin
  
• 1/4 t garam masala
  
• 1/4 t red pepper flakes
  
• 1/4 t tumeric
  
• 1 C chicken broth (1 bouillon cube in water)
  
• 1/2 t chopped chives
  
• 1/2 t cilantro

1. Arrange chicken in microwave dish, meaty side up.
   
2. Boil water, bouillon cube, and cinnamon stick until bouillon cube is dissolved.
   
3. Mix ginger, curry, cumin, pepper flakes, tumeric. Rub a pinch or so into top of each chicken breast. Mix remainder into broth.
   
4. Sprinkle chives and cilantro over chicken.
   
5. Mince garlic, sprinkle over chicken.
   
6. Dice onion, sprinkle over chicken.
   
7. Pour broth over chicken.
   
8. Microwave @ 100% for 10 minutes, 30% for 120 minutes.
   
9. Check chicken, if tender, serve over rice.

Christmas Jello Salad

I imagine the flavours - and colours - could be varied, too. Maybe lime gelatin instead of strawberry, for 1/2 the recipe.

• 2 C boiling water
  
• 12 oz Strawberry gelatin
  
• 32 oz frozen strawberries
  
• 20 oz can crushed pineapple
  
• 16 oz sour cream
  

1. Dissolve gelatin in boiling water.
   
2. Add strawberries, cut into small cubes to help unfreeze faster.
   
3. Dump in pineapple.
   
4. Work quickly before gelatin thickens.
   
5. Pour half of gelatin mixture into a 16" x 2" flat pan.
   
6. Spread sour cream over top.
   
7. Pour other half of gelatin mixture over sour cream.
   
8. Refrigerate.
   

Cabbage Soup

Cabbage is a pretty versatile vegetable - lots of other vegs go with it easily.

• 1 head cabbage
  
• 2 cloves garlic
  
• 2 or 3 carrots
  
• 1 bunch green onions
  
• 1 large yellow onion
  
• 1 or 2 potatoes
  
• 1/2 t black pepper / peppercorns
  
• 1/4 t cayenne pepper
  
• 1 t caraway seed / 1/2 t caraway
  
• 1/2 t celery seed / 1/4 t ground mustard
  
• 1/2 t mustard seed / 1/4 t ground mustard
  
• 4 cups chicken or beef stock (4 bouillon cubes in boiling water until dissolved)
• 1/2 t vinegar

1. Chop cabbage, onions, garlic, any other veg that looks interesting, dump into stew pot.
   
2. Mix stock, vinegar, and spices, boil, dump into veg mixture.
   
3. Microwave @ 100% for 5 minutes, 30% for 120 minutes.
   
4. Check cabbage, if tender, serve.

Don't Eat Raw Taro Leaves

As you cook your favourite recipes, you may use many exciting and exotic ingredients. Some vegetables that you may cook, you may be curious about what they taste like by themselves, maybe raw. Sometimes, as you prepare your favourite recipe, you may nibble on raw vegetables. Why not? Raw veggies are a great snack.

Not so, for raw taro.

Don't eat raw taro, and especially don't let kids nibble on raw taro leaves. See WikiPedia: Taro, or Taro.co.nz: "Cooking", for more information. You may, alternatively, read my real life tale in Nitecruzr's Better Health And Living: Taro - Toxic When Raw.

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