Gail Pallotta is no stranger to our blog but always a welcomed guest. She has shared treasures and thoughts with us and been in our spotlight twice. So, without further ado, I'm turning the blog over to her.....
Many think of fatback, frying, thick batter, butter and cream when they hear Southern cooking, but nowadays many Southern cooks use olive or grapeseed oil in lieu of unhealthy choices. To my surprise, as a young adult I learned my mother and I hadn’t been frying during my youth. We were sautéing. She didn’t own a deep fat fryer, but placed a thin film of oil in a frying pan, an equally thin batter on chicken, cubed steaks, etc., and cooked them on low heat.
She taught me a tasty dish begins with a good food choice, fresh veggies and tender meat. We squeezed squash to see if it might be too soft and okra to see if it was too hard. Potatoes and onions were scrutinized for bad spots. When preparing meat, we cut out the gristle and excess fat.
All of her Southern recipes were handed down by mouth from her mother, who learned them from her mother, so on and so forth. Here’s one of my favorites. With football season getting underway, it’s a good dish for hungry fans.
Mother’s Macaroni and Cheese
Greased casserole dish. (I use olive oil)
The amount of noodles determines the number of servings. To serve four, prepare enough noodles for four.
Drain noodles. Fill a one-cup measuring cup with the cooked noodles and pour them one at a time into the greased casserole dish.
Measure exactly as many cups of grated cheese as there are noodles. (For example four cups of noodles and four cups of cheese packed tight) Cheeses can be all one kind or mixed—2 cups of cheddar, 1 cup of Monteray Jack, 1 cup of Colby. Use what you like. If there are extra noodles, save them for another dish. The amount of cheese must equal the amount of noodles.
Beat an egg. Stir into noodles and cheese. (Egg Beaters can be used)
Pour milk into the casserole dish until it’s almost even with the mixture of cheese, noodles and eggs. (Low-fat is fine.)
Salt and pepper to taste.
Completely cover the top of the macaroni and cheese with more grated cheese. Dot with margarine or butter if desired.
Bake on 350 degrees about forty-five minutes or until the entire casserole is firm.
What’s one of your favorite dishes?
MMMMM, Gail that sound delicious! Thanks for sharing.
Award-winning author
Gail Pallotta’s a wife, mom, swimmer and bargain shopper who loves God, beach
sunsets and getting together with friends and family. A former Grace Awards
Finalist for an earlier edition of Stopped
Cold and a Reader’s Favorite 2017 Book Award winner, she’s published six
books, poems, short stories and two-hundred articles. Some of her articles
appear in anthologies while two are in museums. She loves to connect with
readers. Sign up for her newsletter at
https://www.gailpallotta.com/mainphp.html and visit her website at
https://www.gailpallotta.com and Blog at https://gailpallotta.blogspot.com. You can also visit/connect with her on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/AuthorsandMore and Twitter https://twitter.com/Hopefulwords? (Gail
Pallotta @Hopefulwords)
Also check out Gail's brand new YA release, Stopped Cold on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo & Pelican Book Group
The high school in Stopped Cold has a twitter page! https://twitter.com/MeriwetherCS
Meriwether Christian @MeriwetherCS. The heroine, Margaret, would love to have you follow Meriwether High.
Hope you enjoyed today's post and that you'll check back weekly for more Wednesday Words with Friends and Saturday Spotlight's.
Until next time, take care and God Bless.
PamT
14 comments:
Oh wow, that sounds so yummy. I have another mac and cheese recipe I've tried that's good, but I will have to tr this one as well. Your book is intriguing. Congrats and best wishes!
Gail,
Mac and cheese is a staple in many households. Thanks for sharing your family recipe. Like you, I've written a number of YA novels. During the years I worked as a school librarian, I read and reviewed many YA's. Very enjoyable! Best wishes for your success.
I love that you learned to cook from your mom. What a special memory.
My favorite is pot roast, mashed potatoes and green beans. That meal always reminds me of my grandma. She died in 2014 and I miss her so much. Thank you for the memories and your recipe sounds great.
Hi Alicia,
Thank you for stopping by. I hope you enjoy the recipe, and I appreciate the kind words about Stopped Cold.
Hi Jacqueline,
I do think mac and cheese is a staple. I can't think of anyone I know who doesn't like it. What an interesting job you had and what netter place to mine for new stories about young people.
Hi,
Yes, I wouldn't take anything for the time spent cooking with my mom. It wasn't only the recipes I picked up but the fun times we had together.
Hi Kara,
I'm sorry for your loss. I'm glad you have those wonderful memories of your grandmother.
Yes, I learned from Mom too, but after I married. LOL I was calling her up and saying, "Mom, how do I...?"
She always knew the answers to whatever I asked. Oh, how I miss those phone calls today.
Hi Miss Mae,
It's wonderful you had your mom as a resource after you married. My family and friends have certainly benefited from my mother's recipes. I'm sure yours and many other Moms' daughters and families have too!
Because my mom didn't know how to cook when she got married, she determined that my sister & I should learn young. I remember standing on a stool to reach the stove and stir something. Good life lesson.
My older sister started cooking (I was 9, she 10), when Mom told us we had to take on more responsibility because there was a new baby coming. (Number 7, we were numbers 3 and 4). We peeled potatoes, made our own breakfasts, washed dishes, made up all the family's beds, shelled corn to feed the chickens before school and after school, helped hoe and plant gardens, etc. It taught us good work ethic. To this day, I feel guilty when I'm not doing anything.
Great interview, Gail. I love mac and cheese, make it for church fellowship meals, but never touch it, myself. I try to save my carb-cheating for desserts. Lol.
Hi Diane,
Thanks for stopping by and sharing. I'm glad I learned to cook early in life, but it's more the time with my mom that's dear to me.
Hi Laurean,
I know what you mean. I'm at odds when I'm not doing something also. Good thing we have lots of good books to read.
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