Category: garden goodness
Smoky Okra Fries with Cinnamon Honey Drizzle
Fries and a burger, ho hum. Flip a switch on those boring fries by serving okra! Easy to make and best when hot, these smoky okra fries are still tasty at room temperature. Add the sweet and savory honey drizzle over these crispy fries—woo hoo!
Roasted Veggies & Shrimp Skewers
| March 31, 2021 | Posted by Wendy Perry under Carolina Country, fish & seafood, fun food, garden goodness, gluten free, nekkid-throw cooking ~ what is THAT?, published, roasted goodness, sensational sides, shrimp, stick foods |
High temperatures paired with abundant vegetables make for healthy nibbles or a light meal. Roasting brings out the natural sugars in your vegetables that caramelize for a sweet zing. Exact measurements are not needed — make as much as you need for your crew. Dollop with Buttermilk Green Goddess Dressing and you’ll never look at vegetables the same way again.
Buttermilk Citrus Green Goddess Dressing (and roasted vegetables & shrimp skewers)
| March 31, 2021 | Posted by Wendy Perry under buttermilk, Carolina Country, condiments & accompaniments, dressings, garden goodness, gluten free, low carb, Mindless Mutterings from the Teacher's Lounge, no cook, published, roasted goodness |
Here’s an old dressing with a bright twist thanks to some citrus alternatives to the standard lemon. Super simple to throw together, it’s free of preservatives and packed with vibrant flavor. Use as a sandwich spread, veggie dip, topping for meat and fish or a pasta sauce — the possibilities are endless!
Strawberry Vanilla Simple Syrup
| March 31, 2021 | Posted by Wendy Perry under beverages, Carolina Country, cocktails, garden goodness, Mindless Mutterings from the Teacher's Lounge, published, sauces & syrups, strawberries |
Simple syrups are just that — simple to make. But you can use them in so many ways. Visit a local farm, pick some fresh strawberries and prep this syrup. We also subbed local honey for part of the sugar to make our syrup sing with flavor!
Buttered Wilted Cabbage with Pepper & Caraway Seed
| October 27, 2020 | Posted by Wendy Perry under cabbage, Carolina Country, cook & eat nekkid, garden goodness, low carb, Mindless Mutterings from the Teacher's Lounge, published, sensational sides |
Blanching tender cabbage is a great way to preserve nutrients and get vivid color! And don’t you love having a farm fresh side dish ready in 10 minutes?
Featured in Carolina Country Magazine November 2020
I.Love.Cabbage.
I cannot think of one way I do not love me some cabbage! It’s so versatile and it such a great side dish for most anything. It’s quick to prepare… and budget friendly too.
With cabbage, usually “less is more.” It brings so much of its own flavor to the table you really don’t need to do much to it. Like this recipe. It’s as simple as blanching till tender, but still has a little “bite” to it. A bit of crushed red pepper and caraway seed… and of course some butter, and you’ve got yourself a mighty fittin side. It’s just right to round out your meal with my Bacon Stuffed Pork Loin with garlicky apple cider gravy and Rustic Herbed Dressing with apples and cheddar. This meal just hollers “FALL!” and would be nice for something different featuring pork on your Thanksgiving table this year.
Put all these goodies on your grocery list so you’ll have on hand to cook up this comforting fall feast soon. Then come on over to my facebook community and share your comments!
Blanching tender cabbage is a great way to preserve nutrients and get vivid color! And don’t you love having a farm fresh side dish ready in 10 minutes?
- 8 cup chicken broth
- 1 large head savoy cabbage
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 2 teaspoons caraway seeds
- crushed black pepper
- 6 tablespoons butter
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While bringing broth to a boil in large pot, cut cabbage into wedges and discard core. Tear by hand into 1”-2” pieces. Add to boiling water. Stir and blanch for 1 ½to 2 minutes; drain and reserve broth for soup.
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Put cabbage back into hot pot. Toss with seasonings and butter to melt. Taste and add salt as needed. Serve warm.
Note: I save the core and simmer in the discarded broth for a delicious soup stock.
Don’t toss all that flavor! When cooking, save parts of vegetables for making the best soup base, sauces and gravy. Toss scraps into a freezer bag and add to it until you have accumulated a goodly amount and have time to make. Goodies to save are vegetable broth (like drained from this cabbage) along with leaves and core, onion and garlic peels, celery ends, corn cobs, carrot ends and peel, potato scraps, and fresh herb stems. Freeze in ice trays or small containers for adding flavor to all sorts of dishes!
Don’t throw away those watermelon rinds!
| August 28, 2020 | Posted by Wendy Perry under bogue sound watermelons, carolina gold oil, cook & eat nekkid, fun food, garden goodness, gluten free, nekkid-throw cooking ~ what is THAT?, no cook, party foods, watermelon, wendy's signature recipes |
Stop… Don’t throw that watermelon rind away! Throw this together… Bogue Sound Watermelon Rind drizzled with Carolina Gold Oil! Great for nibblin, appetize’n… or on top of your tacos, hot dogs, salads and more.
Spicy Citrus Seafood Cocktail With NC wild-caught shrimp
| June 23, 2020 | Posted by Wendy Perry under appetizers, avocado, Bruce Julian Foods, Carolina Country, cook'n with NC goodies, crab, fish & seafood, fun food, garden goodness, gluten free, lobster, low carb, published, scallops, shrimp, wendy's signature recipes |
Spicy Citrus NC Seafood Cocktail
Published in Carolina Country Magazine July 2020
Who has time or desire to do much cooking during the lazy hazy hot days of North Carolina summer? Not me! Y’all, this seafood cocktail is light… so full of flavor with just a hint of fresh citrus, and only a little bit of fuss when it comes to cook’n. Loaded with a bounty of fresh seafood from our coast, you can enjoy this for a late morning brunch… for lunch… or right out of a jar in your porch swing watching the sun set!
This is one of those recipes where specifics and exactness isn’t important — you know, throw cook’n! Use all of one seafood or whatever combo you like. Go with your favorite vegetables and what’s in season. Add veggies you like to my recipe… as The Frugal Gourmet Chef Jeff Smith would say…
“Omit and substitute! That’s how recipes should be written. Please don’t ever get so hung up on published recipes that you forget that you can omit and substitute.”
And in keeping with my North Carolina company ingredients, I chose North Carolina’s Bruce Julian’s Blood Mary Mix to finish out my recipe! Just round up what you need and throw together some of my seafood cocktail… soon! You’ll be so glad you did… and so will your company.
And while you’re at it, be sure to make some of my Savory Bay Crackers with browned butter too. Followed up with a little dish of my No-Churn Cantaloupe & Coconut Ice Cream.
Come on over, and hang out with us in my fun facebook community too, where you will find this and lots of other goodies.
Light and spicy... with just the right hint of fresh citrus, the seafood cocktail features all sorts of North Carolina goodness!
- 2 quarts favorite Bloody Mary mix* or V8
- 1 bunch radishes, roughly chopped
- 3 stalks celery, diced
- 1-2 tablespoons horseradish
- 4 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
- zest of 1 lemon, lime, orange and juice of ½ each, Cut the remaining halves into wedges for guests to squeeze into their cocktails
- cracked black pepper
- 2 pounds wild-caught North Carolina shrimp, peeled, cooked and cooled
- 1 pound bay scallops
- 6 small lobster tails
- 2 firm avocados, cut into small pieces
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
- 1/2 pound lump crab meat
- cilantro
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Combine and chill the spicy sauce ingredients.
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A few minutes before serving, add about four pounds of cooked shellfish of your choice (or use our suggestions above) and gently stir in the avocados and cilantro.
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Sprinkle with crabmeat and more cilantro.
*I used NC’s Bruce Julian Bloody Mary Mix.
No-Churn Cantaloupe & Coconut Ice Cream With vanilla bean
| June 23, 2020 | Posted by Wendy Perry under Carolina Country, garden goodness, ice cream & frozen treats, no cook, published, sweet treats, wendy's signature recipes |
Nothing says summer like the combination of sweet, ripe cantaloupe and creamy coconut. Close your eyes and you might even think you’ve landed on a tropical island with this no-churn Cantaloupe and Coconut Ice Cream with vanilla bean.
Krispy Kreme Cannoli Strawberry Shortcakes!
| May 1, 2020 | Posted by Wendy Perry under Carolina Country, chocolate, garden goodness, krispy kreme, no cook, published, strawberries, sweet treats, wendy's signature recipes |
We love strawberry time! And Krispy Kreme doughnuts, of course. How about an NC cannoli strawberry shortcake? Those signature doughnuts, combined with a creamy cannoli-like filling, sweet berries, plus a pillow of whipped cream drizzled with chocolate? Yes, please!
Peas and Carrot Fritters… with lemon-dill yogurt tzatziki
| April 8, 2020 | Posted by Wendy Perry under appetizers, Carolina Country, cook & eat nekkid, dressings, garden goodness, published, sensational sides, wendy's signature recipes |
Spring has us thinking peas and carrots! But not just any peas and carrots. We’re hungry for crispy fritters, with a zesty Greek twist.
Honey Baked Ham Salad …with wilted caraway slaw and rye croutons
| April 1, 2020 | Posted by Wendy Perry under Carolina Country, cook & eat nekkid, garden goodness, here piggy piggy!, Mt. Olive Pickles, nuts, published, salads, slaws and such |
Ready for something traditional with a nontraditional twist? Impress your table of Easter guests with this eye-catching ham salad. Or jazz up your leftover ham and skip the boring ham sandwich!
Grilled Cabbage Steaks with Cranberry Glaze & Pomegranate
| February 17, 2020 | Posted by Wendy Perry under cabbage, garden goodness, grill thrills, L&M Produce, product recipe development, sensational sides |
This recipe is for cabbage lovers. You might not find Koolheads cabbage but you can still make this tasty grilled cabbage with what you find at the store!
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