Southern Summer Squash Casserole

When another generous neighbor shared their beautiful summer squash (and amazing cucumbers), I made this Southern squash casserole. It was a fabulous variation.

The recipe was adapted form Bon Appétit, contributed by Kelly Janke. Simple, rich, and delicious. The original recipe notes that if you can’t find yellow squash, use zucchini!

Yield: Serves 4

• cooking oil spray, for greasing the pan
• 3 T unsalted butter, divided
• 1 1/2 pounds yellow summer squash (3 medium), sliced crosswise 1/4″ thick
• 1 3/4 tsp Diamond Crystal or 3/4 tsp plus a pinch Morton kosher salt, divided
• 1 small to medium onion, finely chopped (I used a small CSA yellow onion)
• 6 T heavy cream
• 4 T sour cream
• 2 oz sharp white cheddar, grated (about 1/2 cup)(I was generous!)
• 1/2 oz Parmesan, finely grated (about 5 T or 1/3 cup), divided (I used Parmigiano-Reggiano)
• 1/2 T fresh thyme leaves, plus more for serving
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 16 Ritz crackers (or other buttery crackers)
• zest of 1/2 lemon, optional (I omitted it)

1. Preheat oven to 375° F, preferably on convection.
2. Grease a 6×9″ baking dish with cooking oil spray or unsalted butter.
3. Melt 1 T unsalted butter in a skillet over medium-high heat.
4. Cook the sliced squash, tossing often, until softened and golden brown, 8–10 minutes. Season with 1/2 tsp Diamond Crystal or 1/4 tsp Morton salt and transfer to a large bowl. (This step removes excess moisture from the dish.)
5. Melt 1/2 T unsalted butter in same skillet. Add onion, finely chopped, and 1/4 tsp Diamond Crystal or pinch (1/8 tsp) Morton salt. Cook, stirring often, until onion is softened and golden brown, about 5 minutes.
6. Reduce heat to low and pour in heavy cream; stir to combine. Bring to a gentle simmer, then remove from heat.
7. Stir in sour cream and 1/4 tsp Diamond Crystal or pinch (1/8 tsp) Morton kosher salt.
8. Add mixture to bowl with squash, then add cheddar, 2 1/2 T Parmesan, thyme, and pepper; stir gently to combine.
9. Transfer to prepared baking dish and spread into an even layer. Wipe and reserve skillet.
10. Using your hands, crush crackers into coarse crumbs in a medium bowl.
11. Melt remaining 1 1/2 T unsalted butter in reserved skillet over medium heat. Stir in remaining 1/4 tsp Diamond Crystal or pinch (1/8 tsp) Morton salt until dissolved, then pour over cracker crumbs.
12. Sprinkle remaining 2 1/2 T finely grated Parmesan over and toss to combine.
13. Scatter cracker mixture evenly over casserole.
14. Bake casserole until golden brown on top and bubbling, 35–40 minutes.
15. Top with zest of 1 lemon, if using, and more thyme leaves. Let cool 5 minutes before serving.

Notes:

If doubling the recipe, cook the squash in 2 batches and bake in a 9×13 pan.

If you’re taking it on the road, you can bake this casserole dish a couple hours ahead and reheat it for about 10 minutes at 350° before serving.

Thomas Keller’s Lemon-Brined Buttermilk Fried Chicken

Fried chicken is an essential part of my husband’s annual birthday feast. This may be the best version I’ve ever made. Not only was the meat incredibly tender from the lemony and garlicky brine, the seasoning in the crispy coating was super delicious as well. Fabulous.

The recipe was first published in Food and Wine in 2007 and then updated and re-published as a staff-favorite recipe in 2022. It was contributed by Thomas Keller who serves it every other Monday at his restaurant Ad Hoc in Napa Valley. The recipe was adapted from his book Ad Hoc at Home.

I adapted the recipe by modifying the method and proportions, and by substituting boneless, skinless chicken thighs for bone-in chicken pieces. I brined the chicken the day that I fried it. I also used a countertop electric skillet to more easily maintain an even cooking temperature- absolutely life changing. (Thank you to my Mother-in-Law for giving it to me!)

I made 15 chicken thighs- enough to have leftovers for days. That’s how we like to extend birthday celebrations in my house. 🙂 I included instructions on how to successfully re-heat the chicken below.

We ate the fried chicken with Creamy Macaroni and Cheese, Sweet Potato Spoon Bread, and green salad with Ice Box Buttermilk Salad Dressing. We completed the feast with Vanilla Bean Birthday Cheesecake for dessert. Perfect. ❤

Yield: Serves 8 to 12

For the Brined Chicken:

• 8 cups (2 quarts or 1/2 gallon) cold water
• 1/2 cup Diamond Crystal kosher salt
• 2 T honey
• 6 bay leaves
• 1 head of garlic, unpeeled, halved crosswise
• 1 T black peppercorns
• 1 small bunch fresh thyme
• 1 small bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 lemon, halved
• 10 to 15 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and patted dry

For the Seasoned Flour & To Finish the Dish:

• 3 cups (about 12.75 oz) all-purpose flour
• 2 T garlic powder
• 2 T onion powder
• 2 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 tsp kosher salt, divided
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided
• 2 cups whole buttermilk
• about 2 quarts canola or peanut oil, for frying
• fresh rosemary and thyme sprigs, for garnish
• fine sea salt or ground fleur de sel, for garnish

To Brine the Chicken:

1. In a large bowl, combine the water and salt; stir until dissolved.
2. Pour the salt water into a 2 gallon zip-top bag inside a large pot. (I used a stainless pasta pot.) Add the honey, bay leaves, garlic, peppercorns, thyme, parsley, and lemon halves; stir to combine.
3. Add the trimmed boneless, skinless chicken thighs, being sure they’re completely submerged; seal the bag. Refrigerate for 10 to 12 hours. (Do not refrigerate for longer than 12 hours or the chicken may become too salty.)
4. Remove chicken thighs from the brine and pat dry with paper towels. Scrape off any herbs or peppercorns stuck to the meat. Discard the brine.
5. Let the chicken stand until it comes to room temperature, about 30 to 45 minutes.

To Coat and Cook the Chicken:

1. Fill a 12-inch electric skillet with about 2 quarts of oil; heat to 320-325 degrees. (Alternatively, fill a large pot with oil to a depth of 2 inches; heat over medium to medium-high to 320 degrees.)
2. Set a wire rack over a foil and paper towel-lined, rimmed, baking sheet. Reserve for cooked chicken.
3. Line a second rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Reserve for raw chicken.
4. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cayenne, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Divide the mixture between two glass pie dishes (about 1 1/2 cups each).
5. Put the buttermilk in a large, shallow bowl. Season with remaining 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
6. Working with one chicken thigh at a time, dip the chicken in the first bowl of flour; turn to coat and pat off excess. Dip into buttermilk, letting excess drip back into the bowl. Dip into the second dish of the flour mixture.
7. Transfer the coated chicken to the baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Repeat with remaining pieces. (I continued to do this while simultaneously starting to cook some of the chicken thighs.)
8. Carefully lower the chicken thighs into the hot oil, adjusting the heat as needed to maintain a temperature of 320 degrees. (I cooked 3 thighs at a time.)
9. Cook for 2 minutes, and the carefully turn over using tongs, continuing to cook and turn as needed for even browning. (I had 1 set of tongs for transferring the raw chicken and 1 set of tongs to turn the chicken while cooking.)
10. The chicken is cooked when it is a deep golden brown, very crisp, and an instant read thermometer inserted in the thickest portion reads 165 degrees, about 9 minutes total.
11. Transfer the cooked chicken to the prepared wire rack set over the lined baking sheet. Let it rest while you fry the remaining chicken pieces. Sprinkle with fine sea salt to taste, if desired.
12. Transfer the fried chicken to a platter, garnish with the herb sprigs or chopped herbs. (Alternatively, the rosemary and thyme can be cooked in the hot oil for a few seconds before being used as a garnish.)
13. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Notes:

• The original recipe recommends cooking chicken breasts and wings at 340 degrees, if using instead of thighs or drumsticks.
• If using bone-in skin-on chicken (the best meat-to-crust ratio is achieved using 2 1/2 to 3 pound whole chickens), let the pieces rest skin-side up. Modify the cooking time as needed to reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees (about 12 minutes for thighs and drumsticks, 7 minutes for breasts, and 6 minutes for wings).
• To reheat leftover fried chicken do not be tempted to use a microwave! Reheat uncovered, placed on a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet in a 400 degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes.

Creole Shrimp & Stone-Ground Grits with Andouille Sausage

Annually, our Easter weekend menu includes this classic southern dish. It reminds us of Charleston, South Carolina- a special place for our family.

I feel that we say this every year, but, this was our favorite version yet! It was extra fabulous because I used “unicorn grits” from Millers All Day in Charleston. 🙂 We ate the dish with roasted asparagus and green salad. Meyer Lemon Martini‘s and Orange Chiffon Easter Bunny Cake were also included in our feast.

This recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Vallery Lomas. I modified the method and proportions. I forgot the scallion garnish- an issue that I have on holidays. Fantastic nonetheless.

Yield: Serves 6

For the Grits:

• 3 cups whole or reduced-fat milk (see Tip)
• 6 T unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 tsp Kosher salt
• 1 1/2 cups stone-ground grits
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups shredded extra-sharp or sharp Cheddar (I used New Zealand Sharp Cheddar)

For the Shrimp:

• 2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined (I used tail-on 21-25 count shrimp)
• 2 1/2 tsp Creole seasoning (see Tip) (I used Slap Ya Mama)
• 2 T extra-virgin olive oil
• 12 ounces Andouille sausage, diced (I used Aidells)
• 1 medium or large yellow onion, diced
• 1 1/2 green bell peppers, diced
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 21 oz San Marzano tomatoes with juice (about 3/4 of a 28 oz can)
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• hot sauce, for serving, optional
• 2 T thinly sliced scallions, for garnish

To Prepare the Grits:

1. Bring 3 cups water, milk, butter, salt, and grits to a simmer in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat.
2. Whisk, turn off the heat, cover, and let sit for 25 to 30 minutes.
3. After the resting period, return the pot to low heat. (At this point, start preparing the shrimp.)
4. Intermittently, stir while the grits begin to thicken and become creamy, about 20 to 30 minutes. Add additional water a few tablespoons at a time if the grits thicken before they are cooked. When stirring, be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the pot to prevent the grits from sticking and burning.
5. When the grits are done, remove from the heat and stir in the pepper and cheese.
6. Taste to adjust seasoning, adding up to an additional 1/2 teaspoon more salt, if desired.

To Prepare the Shrimp:

1. Pat the shrimp dry. Toss them in a medium bowl with the Creole seasoning; set aside.
2. Add the olive oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. (I used a 14-inch stainless steel skillet.)
3. Add the diced sausage and cook, stirring frequently, until the fat has rendered and the sausage is crispy along the edges, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
4. Working in batches, add the shrimp and cook about 1 1/2 minutes each side, until cooked through. Transfer the shrimp to the plate with the sausage.
5. Add the diced onion and bell pepper to the skillet, and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes.
6. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for an additional 30 seconds to 1 minute.
7. Add the tomatoes and stock, breaking up the tomatoes with a spoon.
8. Once the liquid is boiling, reduce the heat to medium and simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated, 5 to 10 minutes.
9. Add shrimp and sausage and cook until hot, about 1 minute.
10. Turn off the heat and swirl in the sour cream. Taste to adjust seasoning, adding salt or pepper as needed.
11. Serve immediately, topped with the hot shrimp mixture. Finish with a few dashes of hot sauce, if desired, and a sprinkling of scallions.

Tips:

1. For a more savory profile, prepare the grits in 6 cups of low-sodium chicken stock instead of water and milk.
2. If you don’t have Creole seasoning, you can combine 1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika, 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne.

Fried Chicken & Biscuits

Over the years, my husband has perfected his ultimate birthday menu. Our entire family looks forward to the annual feast. 😉 After his approval, I do try new variations of a few items on the menu- with the exception of his absolute favorite Vanilla Bean Birthday Cheesecake.

I wanted to try this recipe because it is meant to be made in advance, served at room temperature, and made to travel for a picnic. This is ideal because his birthday is usually one of the first days of the year we are able to eat outside on our back porch. We also eat leftovers for a couple of days! The leftover chicken stayed crisp and was great at room temperature but we preferred to re-heat the biscuits the following day.

The fried chicken recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Tejal Rao, inspired by Masaharu Morimoto’s katsu in the cookbook “Mastering the Art of Japanese Home Cooking.” The biscuit recipe was adapted from Sam Sifton’s all-purpose biscuit recipe, also from The New York Times, but is lightly kneaded so it’s not too tender to form into a sandwich. I modified the method and proportions. I also omitted the hot honey butter for salted butter but included the recipe below.

We ate the chicken sandwiched by a split biscuit with or without salted butter and half sour pickle slices. The feast also included Ina Garten’s Macaroni and Cheese, Sweet Potato Spoon Bread, and green salad with Icebox Buttermilk Dressing. (and birthday cheesecake for dessert, of course) ❤

This dish would be perfect for a Memorial Day or Father’s Day celebration as well. Chicken breast meat can be substituted for the thigh meat, if desired.

Yield: Serves 10 to 12

For the Biscuits:

• 3 cups/450 grams all-purpose flour
• about 2 tablespoons/37 grams baking powder
• 1 T granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 7 T/100 grams cold unsalted butter, cubed
• 1 1/2 cups/360 milliliters whole milk

For the Fried Chicken:

• 9 to 10 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut in half if large (I used 9 thighs and cut the larger pieces to make 15), at room temperature
• 1 cup plus 2 T/170 grams all-purpose flour
• 3 tsp cayenne
• 3 tsp kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
• 4 large or extra-large eggs
• about 2 cups/200 grams panko bread crumbs, plus more if needed
• canola or other neutral oil, for frying (I used vegetable oil)

For the (Optional) Hot Honey-Butter and To Serve:

• 10 T/142 grams unsalted butter, softened
• 3 T honey
• hot sauce, a vinegary variety such as Crystal, to taste
• sliced half sour, fridge pickles, or dill pickles, for serving
• salted butter, at room temperature, to taste

To Prepare the Biscuits:

1. In a bowl, use a fork to mix the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt.
2. Add butter and use a pastry blender or a fork to mash it into the flour until the mixture resembles large, lumpy crumbs.
3. Stir in milk until a dough comes together.
4. Flour your hands, then gently gather and knead the dough in the bowl for 2 to 3 minutes, or until it springs back slightly to the touch. (If the dough is sticky, sprinkle additional flour as needed.)
5. Cover bowl loosely with plastic wrap and rest dough in fridge for half hour (longer is okay!). (I prepared the chicken while the dough was resting.)
6. Heat oven to 425 degrees, preferably on convection.
7. On a lightly floured surface, use a floured rolling pin to roll the dough to 1-inch to 1 1/2-inch thickness.
8. Use a floured knife or round cutter to cut about 12 biscuits, about 2 1/2 inches wide.
9. Re-roll the scraps and cut again as needed.
10. Place biscuits on a rimmed, parchment paper lined, baking sheet and bake for 15 on convection, or up to 20 minutes in a conventional oven, or until they have puffed up and the tops are slightly golden.
11. Let cool completely on a wired rack at room temperature. Transfer to an airtight container if not using until the next day.

To Prepare the Fried Chicken:

1. Trim excess fat and any membranes from the meat, then lightly hammer the thickest parts of the thighs with a mallet or rolling pin. Season each side with coarse salt.
2. Mix flour, cayenne and salt in one wide bowl. (I used a glass pie dish.)
3. Beat eggs in a second wide bowl, or glass pie dish, and place panko in a third.
4. Dip each chicken thigh in flour, coating it all over and patting off the excess, then in egg, allowing extra egg to drip off, then in panko, making sure each thigh is entirely coated in bread crumbs, and using your hands to press loose crumbs into any places where they look scarce.
5. In a large, heavy bottomed skillet, pour in oil to a 2-inch depth and heat to 350 degrees F. (I used a 12-inch cast iron skillet and clipped on a thermometer.)
6. Fry 2 to 3 thighs at a time, flipping them with tongs over every two minutes or so, until golden brown and crisp all over, about 8 minutes total.
7. Transfer to a wire rack set over a paper towel-lined sheet pan and season lightly with salt. (This step is very important in order to maintain the crispy texture!)
8. Let cool entirely at room temperature, at least 1 hour. (I baked the biscuits at this point.) The sandwiches can be assembled after cooling or transfer the rack to the fridge and leave the chicken uncovered overnight.

To Serve:

1. When both the chicken and biscuits have cooled (or the next day), mix together soft butter, honey and hot sauce until smooth, if using. (We opted for plain salted butter.)
2. Cut or split open the cooled biscuits, smear each cut side with honey butter or salted butter, and sandwich with a piece of chicken.
3. Top with pickle slices, as desired.

Note: If traveling, loosely wrap each sandwich in a piece of parchment paper and pack side by side in a hard container, in a single layer, so the sandwiches aren’t crushed. Serve with additional hot sauce and pickles on the side.

Fried Chicken Biscuits with Cornmeal & Sage

My entire family looks forward to my husband’s birthday feast. It typically involves a lot of comfort food like fried chicken and macaroni and cheese. 🙂 We always have his favorite Vanilla Bean Cheesecake as our celebratory dessert.

When my food blog friend Jess@Cooking is My Sport posted Cornmeal Sage Chicken Biscuits, I knew that my husband would absolutely love them. My first thought was to serve them on Valentine’s Day but then I realized that they would be perfect for his birthday dinner. Jess is an amazing cook and baker but most of all I must say that she is a complete master of biscuits. I learned many new techniques from her post in order to make biscuits thick enough to create a sandwich. Flaky and amazing! I also loved that she incorporated cornmeal in both the biscuits and the seasoned flour that is used to coat the fried chicken. This recipe also made all of us fans of Trader Joe’s 21 Seasoning Salute.

I served these fried chicken biscuits with classic macaroni and cheese and green salad dressed with Icebox Buttermilk Dressing. The chicken biscuit recipe was adapted from CookingisMySport.com. I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs, modified the proportions, cut the biscuits into squares, and omitted the topping. My daughter declared it was the best birthday feast ever. 🙂

Yield: Serves 12 to 14

For the Cornmeal & Sage Biscuits:

Yield: approximately 14 2-inch biscuits

• 5 cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 2 tsp coarse salt
• 2 T baking powder
• 2 tsp ground sage
• 1 T savory spice mix (I used Trader Joe’s 21 Seasoning Salute)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 12 T (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, frozen
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 1/2 to 2 cups buttermilk, plus more if necessary

For the Fried Chicken Thighs:

Yield: about 16 to 18 pieces

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 4 heaping tsp savory spice mix (I used Trader Joe’s 21 Seasoning Salute)
• 2 tsp coarse salt
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 3 cups buttermilk
• 8 to 9 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 2 1/2 to 3 pounds), trimmed, halved crosswise, patted dry
• 8 cups vegetable oil
• hot sauce, for serving, optional (we used Chipotle Cholula)
• bread and butter pickles, for serving, optional

To Make the Cornmeal & Sage Biscuits:

1. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, cornmeal, coarse salt, baking powder, sugar, ground sage and the seasoning mix.
2. Using the large holes on a box grater, grate the butter directly into the dry ingredients; stir with a fork.
3. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients; add the sour cream. Using a fork, incorporated it into the dry ingredients until it forms thick clumps.
4. Make another well in the center of the dry ingredients; add the buttermilk. Use a large fork and a large rubber spatula to stir the mixture together. If it seems a little dry you may add the additional buttermilk, just until it forms a shaggy dough. (I added 1 3/4 cups of buttermilk.)
5. Sprinkle a pastry mat, wooden cutting board, or a clean, smooth countertop with flour. (I used a silpat baking mat.)
6. Turn the dough out onto the floured surface and pat a few times with your hands until it loosely holds together. (Don’t knead it too much or the warmth in your palms will melt the butter and cause the biscuits to be tough.)
7. Use a bench scraper (or a large sharp knife) to divide the dough in half. Roughly shape each half into a square.
8. Stack one of the halves on top of the other and use a rolling pin to roll it together into one mass. Repeat this process 4-5 more times before patting it into one final rectangle. (This is a process of layering so that the biscuits will bake flaky.) (I formed a 9×7-inch rectangle, about 2-inches thick.)
9. Tightly wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
10. Preheat oven to 425°. (I set my oven to convection.) Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Place a shallow pan of water on the bottom rack of the oven.
11. Sprinkle your work surface with flour and unwrap the biscuit dough out onto it.
12. Using a bench scraper (or very sharp knife), trim the edges of the rectangle. (I trimmed it to form a 6×8-inch rectangle.)
13. Using a biscuit cutter or a knife, cut the dough into rounds or squares about 2″ each. You can recut the leftover dough into new biscuits, just try not to handle it too much. (I cut my dough into 12 2-inch squares and reformed the trimmed edges into 2 additional 2-inch squares.)
14. Place the cut biscuits on the parchment paper-lined, rimmed baking sheet, placing them close to each other (it will help them rise higher).
15. Place the tray into the freezer for about 15 minutes.
16. Spray the top of the biscuits with cooking spray.
17. Bake until golden brown, 15 to 22 minutes, covering them with foil if they brown too quickly. (I baked mine for 22 minutes total, covering them with foil after 20 minutes.)

To Make the Fried Chicken Thighs:

1. Line a rimmed baking sheet with wax paper, foil, or plastic wrap on the bottom; place a wire rack on top.
2. Line a second rimmed baking sheet with a double layer of paper towels; place a wire rack on top.
3. Whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, cayenne, spice mix, salt, and black pepper in a bowl.
4. Pour buttermilk into a separate bowl.
5. Working with one piece at a time, toss chicken in flour mixture, dip in buttermilk, then toss again in flour mixture. Transfer to the wire rack over the wax paper/foil/plastic wrap-lined baking sheet to allow batter to set, about 2-3 minutes.
6. Repeat dipping process until all of the chicken is double-coated.
7. Meanwhile, heat the vegetable oil to 350 degrees. (I used a large stainless steel Dutch oven fitted with a thermometer. I found it much easier to control the temperature of the oil in this pot versus using a cast iron skillet as I have in the past.)
8. Working in batches of no more than 3 or 4 pieces at a time, use tongs to place the chicken in the hot oil. Using a slotted spoon, turn it occasionally and cook until each piece is golden brown on both sides, about 2-4 minutes per side. (I tried to cook pieces similar in size at the same time.)
9. Using a slotted spoon or clean tongs, remove chicken to the wire rack over the paper towel-lined sheet pan. At this point, use an instant read thermometer to confirm that the chicken is cooked, having an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
10. To assemble: Split a biscuit in half (it will have a natural breaking point) and assemble the sandwich with chicken topped with pickles, as desired. Serve with hot sauce to pass at the table, as desired.

Much to my husband’s displeasure, another birthday tradition is to document the many seasonal feathered visitors who arrive to celebrate with us. Like clockwork, the night heron arrived on his birthday morning while I was making pancakes. 🙂

Shrimp & Grits with Garlicky Roasted Poblano-Jalapeño Sauce

Annually, we treat ourselves to Southern shrimp and grits over Easter weekend. This year, I served the special dish using purple “unicorn” grits from Millers All Day in Charleston, South Carolina. Festive!

This version was topped with a spicy and garlicky roasted poblano-jalapeño sauce which had a terrific balance with the rich, cheesy grits. The shrimp was also cooked in garlic oil. It was a great variation to try for the garlic and sauce lovers in my house. 🙂 The recipe was adapted from Food and Wine, contributed by Marc Meyer. I modified the method and proportions.

Yield: Serves 4

• 4 cups water
• 1/2 cup whole milk 
• coarse salt 
• 1 cup stone-ground white grits (I used stone-ground unicorn grits)
• 2 ounces extra-sharp white cheddar cheese, shredded (1/2 cup) 
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 
• 1 jalapeño chile 
• 1 poblano chile
• 5 large garlic cloves, thickly sliced 
• 5 T extra-virgin olive oil 
• 2 T freshly squeezed orange juice (from 1/2 an orange)
• freshly ground black pepper 
• 1 pound shelled and deveined large shrimp, patted dry (I used 21-25 count per pound)

1. Place oven rack in the highest position and set to broil. Place the jalapeño and poblano chiles on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Broil until blackened all over, about 3 minutes per side.
2. Remove from the oven and wrap in the foil. Allow to steam and cool for 10 minutes, then rub off the skins. Stem and seed the chiles.
3. In a large saucepan, bring the water to a boil with a pinch of salt. (I used an enameled cast iron pot.)
4. Whisk in the grits and cook over moderate heat, stirring often, until the grits are tender and very thick, about 15 minutes.
5. Stir in the milk, cheese, and butter. Season with coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper. (I used about 1/2 tsp salt.) Cook for an additional 5 minutes, then keep warm.
6. In a small skillet, cook the garlic in the olive oil over moderate heat, stirring, until the garlic is softened and very lightly browned, about 3 to 5 minutes.
7. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the garlic to a blender. Add the chiles and the orange juice and puree until smooth. Add all but 2 tablespoons of the garlic oil and puree until creamy. Season the sauce with salt and pepper. (I used a Vitamix.)
8. Pat the shrimp dry and toss with the remaining 2 tablespoons of garlic oil. Season with coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper.
9. Heat a very large skillet until very hot, about 2 minutes.
10. Add the shrimp in a single layer and cook until browned and just cooked through, about 45 seconds to 1 minute per side.
11. To serve, spoon the grits into bowls and top with sauce and shrimp. Serve additional sauce at the table.

Oven-Baked Barbecue Chicken

The week of President Biden’s Inauguration, our local newspaper published recipes to celebrate our nation. The article included recipes for the Navy Bean Soup that is served in one of the Senate restaurants and White House Chef (1966-1987) Henry Haller’s Cooked Vegetable Salad. The third recipe was late Representative John Lewis’ recipe for Barbecued Chicken.

This oven-baked barbecued chicken was published in the Atlanta Journal Constitution as Representative John Lewis’ “other legacy.” It was originally published in the AJC in 1995 and was re-published after his death. He started making this dish in 1968, serving it to guests with potato salad, with rice and string beans, or with sweet potatoes and green salad.

I adapted the recipe to used boneless, skinless chicken thighs, modified the proportions and method, and included garlic in the sauce. We ate it with crispy oven fries and green salad. It was a crowd-pleaser in my house too.

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

• 1 cup ketchup
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard (I used Dijon)
• 1 tablespoon Tabasco or other hot sauce (I used chipotle Cholula)
• pinch of cayenne pepper
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 large yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 large garlic clove, minced, optional
• 10 boneless, skinless chicken thighs OR 1 whole frying chicken, cut up, or equivalent chicken pieces
• fresh herbs, for garnish, optional

1. Preheat oven to 350, preferably on convection roast. Coat a rimmed baking sheet or 9×13-inch baking pan with cooking oil spray.
2. Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper.
3. In a medium bowl, combine ketchup with mustard, hot sauce, cayenne pepper, pinch of black pepper, onion, and garlic, if using. Blend well.
4. Put chicken parts into the prepared pan. Spread half of the sauce evenly over chicken if using boneless, skinless chicken or all of the sauce if using bone-in chicken parts.
5. Bake for 15 minutes for boneless, skinless thighs or for 30 minutes for bone-in skin on chicken parts.
6. Remove pan from the oven and flip the chicken pieces over if using boneless, skinless chicken; coat with the rest of the sauce. If using bone-in skin-on chicken, basting the chicken with pan juices at this point.
7. Return the pan to the oven and continue to bake for an additional 15 minutes for boneless, skinless chicken or 30 minutes for bone-in, skin-on chicken parts.
8. Remove pan from the oven as set to broil. Broil the chicken, watching carefully, for 1 to 3 minutes, or until browned in spots.
9. Garnish with fresh herbs, if desired. Serve warm.