Let These Dishes Tell You a Story

The name of the cookbook, When Southern Women Cook. The name of the author: Morgan Bolling. And she stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about the book, which is served up with a side of history about southern cooking and the traditions that lie in there within. Morgan told Tonia about one recipe in particular, a delicious Hot Cheddar Crab Dip she says is very easy to make. It's exactly what it says, cheddar, crab and various seasoning. Morgan says you do need to take care to make the dip, thanks to delicacy of the crab, but otherwise it's a very easy dip to make. It's great for a holiday party, or any other time of the year!

Try...Sheet...Pie

  

Apple Sheet Pie to be specific. Rose Wilde, who wrote the new cookbook Bread and Roses, stopped Tonia's Kitchen with a delicious recipe for Sheet Apple Pie with Khorasan. Rose told Tonia Khorasan is a sandy, buttery grain that leaves the pie with a delicious texture. She adds she uses an all-butter crust and is an excellent value because it really feeds a crowd! In addition, the pie offers an excellent crust to filling ratio. Also, it's really delicious!

A Silky Chicken...In a Soup

 

So much so, that this soup, if prepared in the traditional Chinese fashion, is actually cooked with the chicken head on. Natalie Keng, who wrote the new cookbook Egg Rolls and Sweet Tea, stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about traditional Chinese foods, including the Whole Silky Black Chicken Soup. Natalie told Tonia it's something of a homage to the whole foods movement, since the chicken is pretty much intact when you make it. It's actually quite nutritious, with fewer calories and fat than more well known chicken soups. There's no question this is an exotic one, but there's also no doubt...it's the real deal when it comes to Chinese food.

• ▢40 g dried Chinese yam
• ▢20 g dried Codonopsis pilosula \
• ▢15 g dried goji berries 
• ▢10 g dried Astragalus propinquus \
• ▢10 g dried Polygonatum odoratum 
• ▢3 large slices ginger
• ▢13 cups water
• ▢2.5 pound whole black silkie chicken
• ▢salt (to taste)
  
  
• Add the dried ingredients, ginger, and water to a thick-bottomed soup pot or Dutch oven. Lower the chicken into the pot, feet side down.
• Bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, immediately reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 2 hours. Adjust the heat as necessary so the soup is simmering slowly. This slow cooking will give you a clear, consommé-like broth, and will prevent you from cooking off too much liquid. Skim any fat off the surface of the soup, and ladle the broth into bowls. Season the soup with salt to taste, right before enjoying.

Perfect Pumpkin Toffee For Halloween

  

Just in time for the season too! Pumpkin seems to be in everything these days, from your favorite coffee to main courses.  But here's a simple, delicious and easy way to bring out the Pumpkin and enjoy Halloween.  Sally McKenney, who wrote the new cookbook Sally's Candy Addiction stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about her recipe for Pumpkin Spice Toffee.  It can easily be done on a stovetop, and the ingredients are simple. Despite that, it'll make Halloween party guests think you have your own candy making machine! Find out more on Sally's website

Ingredients

1½ cups (149g) raw unsalted pecan halves, coarsely chopped

1 cup (2 sticks; 227g) unsalted butter, cubed, plus more if using for greasing

½ cup (120ml) warm water

1 cup plus 2 tbsp (225g) sugar, divided

1 tsp salt

1 tsp light corn syrup

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

6oz (170g) white chocolate, broken into small pieces

½ tsp ground cinnamon

Special Equipment

large baking sheet

12 x 17-in (30 x 43cm) jelly roll pan or a similar-sized rimmed baking sheet

silicone baking mat (recommended)

3-qt (2.8L) heavy-duty saucepan

pastry brush

candy thermometer

1 Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and a 12 x 17-in (30 x 43cm) jelly roll pan with a silicone baking mat or lightly butter or spray with nonstick cooking spray. Spread the chopped pecans onto the baking sheet and toast for 7–8 minutes, or until very lightly browned. Set aside.

2 Melt the cubed butter over medium heat in a 3-qt (2.8L) heavy-duty saucepan, stirring occasionally (about every 2 minutes) with a wooden spoon. Once melted, add the water, 1 cup (200g) of sugar, salt, and corn syrup. Stir constantly until the sugar dissolves, then brush down the sides of the pan with a water-moistened pastry brush. Attach a candy thermometer to the pan, making sure not to let it touch the bottom.

3 Once the sugar has dissolved, bring the mixture to a boil. Rapid bubbles, a thicker consistency, and a slightly darker color form around 235°F (113°C). Stir lightly once every minute until the candy reaches 290°F (143°C; soft crack stage).

4 Remove pan from the heat and stir in the pumpkin pie spice and 1 cup of the toasted pecans. Pour the toffee out onto the prepared jelly roll pan. Smooth into an even layer with a wooden spoon. The toffee should be thick and not spread all the way to the edges of the pan. Allow the toffee to cool for 5 minutes, then sprinkle the top with white chocolate. Allow the white chocolate to soften and melt from the heat of the toffee, then spread the melted white chocolate into an even layer using a rubber spatula or the back of a spoon. Sprinkle the top with remaining toasted pecans.

5 Quickly mix the cinnamon and remaining 2 tablespoons (25g) of sugar together in a small bowl. Sprinkle on top. Refrigerate for 20 minutes, or until white chocolate has set.

6 Once set, remove toffee from the refrigerator. Cut, using a sharp knife, or break into pieces as large or small as you want.

MAKE-AHEAD TIP: Store toffee in an airtight container at room temperature in a cool, dry place for up to 2 weeks. For longer storage, freeze up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.

A Stew for the Fall

   

With fall underway, these mild days and cool nights make tastes turn to soups and stews.  And this week, we celebrate the quesential fall food, the pumpkin.  What better way to honor this orange mainstay, than by celebrating it in a comforting fall stew?  Dee Dee Stovel, who wrote The Pumpkin Cookbook, came by Tonia's Kitchen, to talk about her Cream and Pork Stew, which uses wonderful autumn flavors like onions, garlic, fresh ginger, chicken broth, apple cider and dark beer. Combine that with fresh pumpkin and lots of boneless pork for a rich, comforting stew that'll warm those cool nights!