Farmhouse Kitchen, October 2022
Welcome to fall, y’all!
The Alabama climate doesn’t always cooperate with our wishes for fall weather, but we can sure bring the flavors into our kitchen no matter what. This month, I’m sharing good old comfort food — fried apples, old-fashioned limas and mac and cheese. Can you imagine all these on your table at once? What a feast that would be!
Whether they’re served on top of warm buttermilk biscuits, pancakes or waffles; in a bowl as a snack by themselves; or topped with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream, Southern Fried Apples are a serious treat for all apple-lovers. Some folks even serve fried apples along with pork chops.
For my recipe, tart and tangy apples are skillet-cooked in a mixture of real butter and brown sugar and are flavored with warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. The result is tender, luscious apples and a sweet, sticky caramel sauce that’s perfect when poured over nearly anything.
Limas go by many names in our area: butter beans, lima beans, dried lima beans, large limas, pocketbook beans, mule ears — the list goes on. Believe it or not, whether they’re green, speckled, white, cream-colored, dried or fresh, they’re all varieties of lima beans.
My recipe for cooking them is simple, straightforward and only calls for a handful of ingredients to yield limas your family will love to come home to.
I am also honored to share a recipe from another member of the Alabama Farmers Federation family, Dawn East. Dawn and her husband, John Bert, live in Cherokee County and raise cattle, hay and row crops. Something tells me Dawn is known for her comfort food. You better believe her Crock-Pot Macaroni and Cheese will not disappoint. This recipe originally ran in the January 2009 Neighbors.
Hopes for cool weather and warm hearts are on the menu this month. Join me in making sure we savor every bite and every moment!