My Texas Alphabet: S for Southern Cuisine

The idea for this alphabet post series comes from ' The Alphabet of My Emigration' by Dee Dorota L., a member of The Polish Ladies Abroad Club, who has relocated to England.
I have also decided to join the project and write about My Texas Alphabet twice a week.

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Tomorrow is Thanksgiving so I think it is the right time to mention Southern Cuisine in my alphabet. I do like traditional Southern dishes as they taste similar to what I had at home in Poland. My favorite one is fried catfish with fries and coleslaw. I had never eaten catfish before coming to Texas. Since I used to live by the Baltic Sea, we most often had cod, herrings, or other cold sea fish. On the other hand, I have always liked coleslaw (it is a popular side dish in Poland too), but I did not know it is a Southern thing. Anyway, I am glad I can have it here.

In Texas, hushpuppies are usually served with fried fish. At first, I had no idea what they were. Later I learned they are little cornmeal balls, deep fried in hot oil and I got used to them too. Hush puppies are crunchy and sometimes a bit spicy so they improve the taste of the fish meal.

Hush puppies, catfish with French fries and coleslaw - my favorite Southern meal

Although I enjoy eating out, in my opinion, home made food is the best. And usually healthier as well.  That is why I have learned to make quite a few Southern dishes from scratch. I follow traditional Southern recipes but sometimes I alter them a bit (e.g. I coat the meat - before frying it - with a thinner layer of batter).

 

Some examples of my Southern cooking achievements:

Dinner

Cornbread Dressing

Stuffed Bell Peppers

Baked Beans

Baked Mac & Cheese

Southern Style Shepherd's Pie

Chicken & Dumplings

Chicken Fried Steak with Mashed Potatoes & Cream Gravy

 

Bread & Muffins

Irish Soda Bread

Sugar Donut Muffins

Cinnamon Rolls

White Bread

Dinner Rolls

 

Desserts 

most Southern cakes and pies are often very sweet - so, if possible, I try to make them less sugary

Oatmeal Cookies

Banana Pudding

Cherry Cheese Pie

Texas Sheet Cake

Carrot Cake

Pecan Pie

I enjoy cooking and baking for us. It is time for me to make our Thanksgiving cake now.
So, off to see the the kitchen/baking wizard! :)

You will find more on my cooking and baking adventures in The Kitchen with Tobo.

Other 'S' entries by Polish Ladies Abroad:

Karolina: S jak Smutek i Plotkara