As a Home Economics major at Mississippi State in the late 1970s, I thought I had mastered the world of cooking. I could not have been any more mistaken. I knew that fried chicken with rice and gravy had always been my husband’s favorite meal. I could prepare baked Alaska, beautiful 3-layer cakes, and would tackle any type of appetizer that came my way. I thought I would never master fried chicken and gravy.
On my first attempt, I fried the most beautiful chicken you have ever seen. Each piece could have proudly graced the cover of Southern Living magazine. I took over 2 ½ hours turning and tending to my chicken like a new mother would tend to a newborn baby. I did not know that you could actually fry meat off the bone – there was nothing there but crust! My minute rice was perfect, but my gravy would not leave the serving spoon. For years I toyed with the idea of edible chicken flavored Play Dough for children.
I spent many hours with Steve’s mom in her kitchen while she tried to show me how to make chicken and roast beef gravy. My sweet husband patiently waited until I finally got the hang of preparing gravy. He always comments on how good it is. It never has and never will taste as good as his Mama’s.
In our home, hunting and sports are a top priority. I have never had a desire to go hunting and there is not an athletic bone in my body. As far as sports go, I have learned all I could by attending more games than I could possibly count and learning to keep scorebooks. I’ve taken a cook’s approach to hunting by learning to cook everything from duck to venison. As September approaches, the opening of dove season is on the minds of many of us. After a busy day of hunting and cooking, it is time for family and friends to gather for the much-anticipated meal.
Here are some great dishes to accompany your newly bagged quarry. I hope you will give them a try. Thanks for reading.
EASY STUFFED MUSHROOMS
Fresh mushrooms
Ground sausage (Mild or Hot)
Garlic salt
Worcestershire sauce
Bread crumbs
Lemons
Lightly grease an oblong Pyrex baking dish. Wash and de-stem mushrooms. Place mushrooms in dish and stuff with the uncooked sausage. Sprinkle with Worcestershire, garlic salt and bread crumbs. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. Drizzle with lemon juice and serve.
EASY BROWN RICE CASSEROLE
1 cup rice
1 stick butter, melted
2 cans French Onion soup
2 soup cans of water
1 small jar diced pimento, drained
1 small jar sliced mushrooms, drained
Mix all ingredients and bake in a casserole at 350 degrees for 1 hour. This can easily be increased for large crowd.
RO-TEL POTATOES
6-8 potatoes, peeled, sliced, boiled and drained
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 small can sliced mushrooms, drained
1 can diced Ro-Tel tomatoes
1 lb. Velveeta cheese
Saute’ onion and bell pepper in butter. Add mushrooms, tomatoes and cheese. When cheese has melted, pour over potatoes that have been placed in a lightly greased baking dish. Heat in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated.
