November 2016 Country Kitchen

November 2016 Country Kitchen

Holiday meals are often full of nostalgia and tradition, but in the dessert category, holidays can be an excuse to depart from the routine. Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners seem to bring a sense of freedom to try a few new ideas or revisit old recipes, but those recipes don’t have to be overly complicated or time consuming. After all, cooking a turkey and dressing is a huge undertaking. Who’s got time for an intricate cake or huge batches of cookies? more

October 2016 Country Kitchen

October 2016 Country Kitchen

Whether served on a crisp fall morning with a hot cup of coffee or as a centerpiece for a church social, the comfort and simple goodness of sweet breads can’t be overlooked. More than 30 delicious sweet breads were on display at the Alabama Farmers Federation’s Heritage Cooking Contest Sept. 1. We’ve featured the three winners in this month’s Country Kitchen and made a digital cookbook with all the state entries to share at AlfaFarmers.org. more

September 2016 Country Kitchen

September 2016 Country Kitchen

Valorie Stroud doesn’t have much time for cooking these days — she’s busy raising her 5-year-old daughter, Abigail. That’s why she loves cooking with chicken. “My husband Steve and I are both 42, and we have an active little girl,” Valorie said. “We had the amazing opportunity to adopt Abigail after we struggled with infertility and went through two failed adoptions. She keeps us young, and we stay busy. My priority right now is being a mom, so I love simple recipes.” more

AUGUST 2016 COUNTRY KITCHEN

AUGUST 2016 COUNTRY KITCHEN

Alabama-raised catfish is known worldwide for its quality and taste. Whether fried, baked, grilled or featured in gumbos, stews and chowders, catfish is an ingredient that gets people excited to sit down and eat. more

July 2016 Country Kitchen

July 2016 Country Kitchen

Canning has traditionally been a way to preserve an abundance of vegetables grown in spring and summer to save for winter months. While that’s still true, canning can be enjoyed by anyone, regardless of their vegetable gardening skills. Making pickles is arguably the best place to start. more

June 2016 Country Kitchen

June 2016 Country Kitchen

As food culture in America becomes more sophisticated, pork’s place at the dinner table has been elevated. As evident by the winners of the Alabama Pork Producers’ annual recipe contest, “The Other White Meat” can be dressed up or down and possesses the rare quality of being packed with flavor while simultaneously pairing well with just about anything. more

April 2016 Country Kitchen

April 2016 Country Kitchen

There is something so special about friends and family gathering around a table full of home-cooked food, laughing and sharing together. In the South, the act of serving others through food is especially cherished. And for Carol James, it’s a calling. more

MAY 2016 COUNTRY KITCHEN

MAY 2016 COUNTRY KITCHEN

At Jim and Jessica Yance’s home, when someone asks what’s for dinner, the answer usually includes beef. With a freezer full of beef raised right on their farm in Haleburg, a tiny town just outside Columbia, the Yances are always ready to whip up a home-cooked meal for their two boys, Tye, 5, and Reid, 8-months. more

March 2016 Country Kitchen

March 2016 Country Kitchen

Peanuts are one of America’s favorite foods — they’re versatile, nutritious and affordable. Without peanuts, many cakes, cookies, main dishes and party snacks would cease to exist, and peanut farmers Fred and Mary Helms of Rehobeth aim to make sure everyone knows just how valuable the peanut is. more