Category: American

Best Banana Nut Bread

This is a slightly tweaked version of Andrea Geary’s fantastic recipe. Once you make banana bread using this recipe, you’ll never use another recipe!Ingredients Instructions Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Spray 8-1/2 by 4-1/2 inch loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray.  Whisk flour, baking soda and salt together in a large bowl and set…

Pork Tenderloin with Fennel

Pork and fennel are a classic match. This comes together quickly. Serve with a side or rice (or other grain) or mashed potatoes.Ingredients  Instructions 2. Use paper towel to pat dry the pork until dry. Rub fennel seed in pork, evenly distributing throughout. 3. In oven-safe pan or skillet, heat olive oil on medium high…

Macaroni Salad

Best pasta salad I’ve ever had! 1 cup whole milk 1 cup mayonnaise 1 tablespoon light brown sugar 2  teaspoons pepper 1.5 teaspoons salt (plus more for pasta) 1 pound elbow macaroni 1/2 cup of cider vinegar (see note) 4 scallions (thinly sliced) 1 large carrot (peeled and grated) 1 celery rib (finely chopped) Instructions:…

Martha Stewart’s Apple Cider Donut Cake

I’ve made many apple cakes but this is by far the best!Ingredients 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for pan 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for pan 1 cup whole-wheat flour 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon ½ teaspoon baking soda ¾ teaspoon kosher salt 1 ¾ cups…

Creamy Chicken Pasta Alfredo

This one pot casserole is a crowd-pleasing quick dinner.Ingredients 2 Tablespoons butter 1 clove garlic minced 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into cubes* 1 tsp oregano 1 tsp Italian seasoning 1/2 tsp salt or to taste 1/4 tsp black pepper 1/4 cup sun dried tomato drained and chopped 3 cups baby spinach** 8…

Sweet Potato Whip

Sweet Potato Whip will be the hit of any meal!Ingredients For the potatoes: 3 cups cooked and mashed sweet potatoes* 1 cup white sugar ½ teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 eggs well beaten 1/2 cup butter melted For the topping:1 cup brown sugar 1/3 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup chopped pecans 1/3 cup…

Dixon Charles’ North Carolina Brunswick Stew

Dixon’s hearty Brunswick Stew is great comfort food for a cool evening!Ingredients 3 lbs. chicken 1 lb. beef 3 med. onions 4 28oz. cans tomatoes 5 Tbls. worchestershire sauce 1 20oz. bottle ketchup 1 Tbls. Tobasco 2 bay leaves 1/2 bottle chili sauce 1 tsp. dry mustard 1/2 stick butter 2 cans butter beans 2…

Cornbread Dressing

The best moist cornbread dressing! Ingredients Cornbread ▢ 1 cup plain cornmeal ▢ 1/2 cup plain flour ▢ 1 tsp backing powder ▢ 1/4 tsp baking soda ▢ 1/2 tsp salt ▢ 3/4 cup buttermilk ▢ 2 eggs ▢ 2 tablespoons Vegetable oil Cornbread Instructions Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Make the cornbread first, preferably…

Chicken and Broccoli Casserole with Stuffing

This casserole will become one of your “go to” favorites for a quick, delicious meal.Ingredients 3 cups fresh broccoli florets (or 1 (12.6 ounce) package frozen baby broccoli florets) 1 tablespoon butter 1 medium onion, finely chopped 1 stalk celery, finely chopped 1 Package Pepperidge Farms Herb Stuffing mix, plus the additional ingredients called for…

Buche de Noel

Easy and delicious flour-free holiday showpiece but you don’t have to wait for Christmas to enjoy it!Ingredients 2 cups heavy cream 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 6 egg yolks 1/2 cup white sugar 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1/8 teaspoon salt 6…

Chicken Rehoboth

This easy and quick dish is perfect for a quick, satisfying meal with crusty bread and green salad!Ingredients 1-1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces 1/3 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 3 tablespoons butter 1 medium onion, sliced 3 celery ribs, sliced 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut…

Cornbread Tomato Cobbler

This cornbread makes a great accompaniment to seasonal vegetables!Ingredients FOR THE FILLING 1 pound mixed-variety sweet cherry tomatoes, each cut in half ½ cup finely diced celery 2 cloves garlic, minced ½ teaspoon hot mexican chili powder ¼ teaspoon kosher salt ¼ teaspoon ground cumin Finely grated zest and juice of ½ lime ¼ cup minced scallions,…

Black Bean Quinoa Chili

I found this recipe on line last week and was immediately intrigued by the cooking instructions: put all ingredients in a pot and boil for an hour. The result is as fantastic as it is easy! Thanks to Lee Hersh and her Fit Foodie Finds blog for sharing this with the Ginhill family! 3 can…

Evelyn’s Turkey Salad

This recipe came from Rick’s mother, Evelyn Tucker, who made Turkey Salad every year from leftover turkey after Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. This is Rick’s best recollection of the recipe; it wasn’t written down anywhere. Ingredients Leftover turkey, both white and dark meat (I prefer half-and-half), cut into oblong pieces about 1/2 to 3/4…

Grits Pound Cake

Ingredients Cooking spray 1 tablespoon stone-ground white cornmeal 2 cups sugar, divided 2/3 cup butter, softened 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 5 large egg yolks 1 cup low-fat sour cream 2 cups all-purpose flour ½ cup stone-ground white cornmeal ½ cup stone-ground white or yellow grits ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon baking soda 5 large egg whites Preparation Preheat oven to 325°. Coat a 10-inch tube pan with…

Beans and Greens

Ingredients Bunch kale, stemmed and washed in two changes of water 3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 medium onion, chopped 1 carrot, chopped 1 rib celery, chopped 4 garlic cloves, minced 1 2/3 cups white beans (¾ pound) or dried lima beans, picked over and soaked for at least four hours and drained 1…

Potato, Mushroom, and Spinach Casserole

Ingredients 2-3 lbs fingerling potatoes ½ to ¾ lbs sliced mushrooms (white, cremini, or a variety) 1 lb fresh spinach 1 medium onion, chopped (substitute one leek) 3 Tablespoon olive oil 1½ teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon pepper 4 cloves garlic (or 1½ inches of grated garlic in the tube, available in the produce section of most grocery stores) 8 oz ricottta…

Hard Times Café

A perennial favorite of the ginHill crowd is the original Hard Times Café at 1404 King Street in Old Town, Alexandria, Virginia.  We enjoy the Santa Fe egg rolls as an appetizer. Rick always goes for the five-way Texas chili (and adds lots of Tabasco sauce).  Howard likes the 2-way veggie Mac along with cole slaw…

Johnny Mazolla

(pronounced: JON-ee ma-ZO-lee) Ingredients ground hamburger chopped onions garlic powder salt 1 can, tomato soup parmesan cheese macaroni, cooked Preparation Cook macaroni in boiling water.  Drain. Place hamburger, chopped onions, garlic powder, and salt in pan.  Brown hamburger.  Drain fat. Combine macaroni, hamburger, and parmesan cheese, and warm.

BBQ Beef

Ingredients 3-4 lbs chuck roast 3 cups water ¼ cup soy sauce 20 oz. ketchup ½ cup brown sugar 1 tablespoon chili powder 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon dry mustard Preparation Put chuck roast, water, and soy sauce in dutch oven (or equivalent) at 325°F until meat falls apart Shred meat with fork in…