Melissa Sperka - Melissa’s Southern Cookbook: Tried-and-True Family Recipes

All photos by the author unless otherwise noted below: Page 10: edoneil/iStockphoto.com; 44: wsmahar/iStockphoto.com; 66: sanddebeautheil/Shutterstock.com; 68: Lauri Patterson/iStockphoto.com; 94, 160, 168, 203: Olha_Afanasieva/iStockphoto.com Copyright 2016 by Melissas Southern Style Kitchen, Inc. All rights reserved For information about permission to reproduce selections from this book, write to Permissions, The Countryman Press, 500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110 For information about special discounts for bulk purchases, please contact W. W. Norton Special Sales at specialsales@wwnorton.com or 800-233-4830. Book design by Seton Rossini The Countryman Press
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Norton & Company, Inc.
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
www.wwnorton.com 978-1-58157-383-1 978-1-58157-522-4 (e-book) This cookbook is dedicated to my amazing sons, Chase and Jordan.
You are a dream come true and you both are destined for greatness.
Ill love you forever.

The tradition of gathering around the kitchen table is a long-held practice for my entire family, dating back generations. My parents made daily mealtime a routine happening filled with lively conversation, and an opportunity to reconnect after a busy day. Empty chairs were often filled with friends and family who happened to stop by for a visit. Likewise, there were never any empty chairs at either of my grandparents kitchen tables. My grandparents lived on the food they grew and harvested on their Virginia farmland.

In addition to the work at the home place, each grandfather also had a career apart from the responsibilities they handled at home. They were part of a generation whose roles were traditional, so my Southern grandmothers tended to the household. Part of that was overseeing the daily activities of the kids and preparing a plethora of homegrown dishes to feed a large family fit for a king. The days typically began with a hearty breakfast consisting of bacon and eggs, grits, biscuits smothered in sausage gravy, or buttermilk pancakesor any combination of the aforementionedalong with plenty of strong black coffee. At the end of the day, the table might be filled with Southern-fried chicken or meat loaf, macaroni and cheese, green beans, mashed potatoes, and corn on the cob, with sliced tomatoes and cucumbers from the garden. A pan of hot buttered corn bread was sure to be nearby along with a gallon or two of sweet tea to wash it all down.

Everyone was welcome at the supper tablefamily, neighbors, and friends alike. I watched my own mother continue this tradition as her mother did before her, canning, freezing, and cooking the fresh produce that my dad grew and still grows in his backyard garden. This birthed in me a passion and love for cooking and baking and the Southern family traditions that were instilled in me from a very young age. It also ignited the desire to share that passion with others. In the pages of this book, I include many of my own familys favorite recipes as well as pay homage to those generations before me who inspired my love of cooking and baking.

In my love of entertaining through the years, Ive discovered that the tone for most parties and casual get-togethers is set at the very beginning around the appetizer table. In my love of entertaining through the years, Ive discovered that the tone for most parties and casual get-togethers is set at the very beginning around the appetizer table.

When people casually share a dish, it often results in friendly banter and conversation, establishing new relationships and friendships. I wouldnt dream of hosting guests in my home without at least one appetizer and a fun featured drink. When planning this part of the event, simplicity is key and you must consider your guests needs in the process.

Hummus is a traditional Mediterranean dip made from ground chickpeas. To enhance the smooth and silky texture, its typically made using a ground sesame seed butter called tahini paste. Tahini paste can be a bit pricey, so for this Southern spin-off, I chose to use peanut butter instead.

Peanut butter lends a nutty flavor to the black-eyed pea pure without breaking the bank. Yield: About 2 cups hummus 3 garlic cloves, peeled 2 (14-ounce) cans black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter 1 teaspoon spicy sesame oil 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon salt teaspoon smoked paprika teaspoon ground ancho chili powder teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 4 dashes hot sauce 6 pita pockets, cut into triangles, for serving Place the garlic in the bowl of a food processor. Process until finely minced. Add the remaining ingredients, except pita pockets. Continue to pulse until smooth. Cover and chill for 2 hours.

Serve drizzled with additional olive oil and pita triangles.

Mexican food is always a crowd favorite and no fiesta would be complete without homemade guacamole. After much experimentation, this party dip is now perfection. Since avocados oxidize quickly, keep in mind you should make this on the day you intend to eat it. One useful trick is to mix a couple of the pits into the guacamole, which seems to have a magical effect on the oxidation process. When storing, press plastic wrap directly on the top, then cover tightly and keep chilled.Next page