Fresh Vegetables Recipes

In the whole world of cookery, nothing is more important than vegetables. When we had our first vegetable garden, my education began, because we planted enough vegetables to furnish the whole state of Mississippi. We canned them, we froze them, and we ate them day after day all season long.

So I began to learn to cook them in different ways and to cook them with care.

Never pay any attention to people who say they hate vegetables. Just cook vegetables with imagination and put them on the table and see what happens!

Vegetable cooking tips

1. Trim sparingly such greens as cabbage and lettuce. Dark outer leaves are rich in iron, calcium and vitamins.

2. Cook potatoes in their skins to start such dishes as hash browned potatoes or potato salad. Skins keep nutrients in.

3. Cook vegetables quickly and serve hot. The longer vegetables are exposed to heat and air, the more vitamin C they lose.

4. Use as little cooking water as possible and save the liquids. The liquids contain vitamin C, the B vitamins, and iron which escape into the water. Use any left over liquids to flavor soups and gravies.

Pinto Beans and Ham Hocks

• 1 smoked ham hock
• water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups dried pinto beans
• 1 cup onion, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon chili powder

Place ham hock and salt in large saucepan. Add enough water to cover. Cook ham, covered, over moderately high heat until water comes to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and cook for 30 minutes.

Add beans, onion, and pepper to ham and cook covered, for approximately 3 1/2 hours or until beans are tender.Remove meat from the ham bone and serve a little of the meat with each serving of beans.

Field Peas

• 1 quart fresh field peas
• 2 quarts of water
• 2 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 1 slice of bacon
• 2 tsp. flour

Put water, peas, salt sugar and bacon in pressure saucepan. Pressure at 10 pounds for 20 minutes. Take a little of the juice and mix flour in it well to eliminate lumps and add to the peas to make a good thick juice. Cook for 5-10 minutes longer.

Butter Beans with Bacon and Green Onion

• 2 (10 oz.) pkgs. frozen speckled butter beans
• 2 1/2 c. water
• 2 tsp. salt
• 6 slices bacon
• 1 tsp. minced garlic
• 4 green onions, sliced
• 1 T. sugar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper

Cook butter beans in 2 1/2 cups water with 2 teaspoons salt until tender. Meanwhile, cook bacon crisp, crumble and set aside.

Saute' garlic and green onions in bacon drippings until tender. Add butter beans to skillet along with sugar, salt, pepper and crumbled bacon. Simmer until thoroughly heated.

Collard Greens

Use about 1 pound of collards per person. Soak collards in cold water, turning ever so often. Take them out and discard the water.

Tear off the thick part of the stems, and then tear the greens into about 4' pieces or so. Put them into a pot with some boiling water in the bottom just enough so that it doesn't boil dry while you're cooking them. Add about 1 smoked ham hock (or for a very low fat version (HA), use smoked turkey drumsticks) for every 2 people.

Let this boil covered for about 10 minutes, then turn down to a simmer for about 2 hours. Take the smoked meat off the bone and put it back into the pot.

I like to add Balsamatic vinegar and salt at the table. DEElish!

Yellow Squash

• 2 pounds yellow, summer squash, sliced
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup margarine
• Pepper to taste

Combine squash, onion, water, and salt in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium cook, uncovered, 15 to 20 minutes or until squash is tender, stirring frequently.

Drain well in a colander and transfer to a bowl use a potato masher to mash with butter, then add pepper to taste.

Country Club Squash

• 6 or 8 tender, small squash
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 1 chicken or beef bouillon cube
• 1 tbsp. grated onion
• 1 egg, well beaten
• 1 cup sour cream
• 3/4 cup bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup grated cheese
• dash of paprika

Cut and cook squash until tender, drain, mash. Add salt, pepper, butter, bouillon cube and onion. Add well beaten egg, and sour cream. Pour into a one quart casserole dish.

Combine bread crumbs, grated cheese and paprika, and sprinkle on top of squash. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Squash Fritters

• 1 cup cooked squash
• 1 cup flour
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup milk
• chopped onion or onion powder (optional)
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt

Cook squash first. Mix ingredients until just moistened. Drop by spoonfuls into deep hot fat. Fry until done.

Fried Summer Squash

• 4 eggs, beaten
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 1/4 tsp. salt
• 7 medium squash, thinly sliced
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• oil

Combine eggs, milk and salt to make batter. Dip squash in batter, roll in flour and fry in deep fat until done.

Fried Corn

For this fried corn recipe, gather up some of that fresh corn in your garden, or get some from your local supermarket, and try this southern recipe. It's so good!

• 1/4 cup bacon drippings
• 10 ears fresh corn cleaned - cut kernels from corn
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper

In a iron skillet, heat bacon drippings over medium heat. Add corn and cook for about five minutes, then add milk, salt and pepper.

Cook for about 30 minutes, or until done, stir frequently. Remove from stove and serve.

Great with southern fried chicken, yellow squash, and green bean casserole. You will find recipes for all these dishes on my recipe page.

Corny Corn

• 1 can cream style corn
• 1 can whole kernel corn, drained
• 1 1/2 sticks oleo, melted
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 c. grated cheese
• 1 box Jiffy Corn Bread Mix
• 1 8 oz. sour cream

Mix well, bake 1 hour at 350 degrees. For the last 10 minutes of baking time, sprinkle cheese on top to cover and bake.

Spanish Corn

• 1 (no.2) can whole kernel corn
• 2 tbsp. salad oil
• 1/4 cup chopped green pepper
• 1 tbsp. oleo
• 2 tbsp. worcestershire
• 1/2 cup catsup
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. pepper
• 1/2 tsp. paprika

Drain corn. Heat oil, add corn and pepper and sautw` for 3 minutes in heavy 10 or 12 inch skillet. Remove from heat. Add other ingredients and cook in covered skillet over medium heat for 20 minutes.

Scalloped Corn

• 2 cups cream style corn
• 1 cup milk
• 1 well beaten egg
• 1 cup cracker crumbs
• 1/4 cup minced onion
• 3 tbsp. pimiento
• 3/4 tsp salt
• dash of pepper
• 1/2 cup buttered cracker crumbs

Heat corn and milk. Stir in egg; then other ingredients; mix well. Pour in greased 8-inch baking dish. Sprinkle buttered crumbs over. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Fried Cabbage

• 1 large head of cabbage, chopped into frying size
• 3 tbsp. oil
• 1 large onion, quartered
• salt, black pepper and crushed red pepper to taste

In wok or large skillet heat oil on medium high heat. Add cabbage, turning to coat. Fry about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add onions. Cook until onions are tender. Cut off heat. Add salt, pepper and red pepper to taste. Stir, cover, let sit about 2 minutes.

Fried Eggplant

• 1 large eggplant
• salt water
• 2 eggs beaten
• bread crumbs or cracker crumbs

Pare eggplant and cut into slice 1/2 inch thick. Soak slices in salt water for about an hour. Drain and wipe dry. Dip slices in beaten egg and roll in fine bread or cracker crumbs. Fry in hot fat (or deep fat) until browned on both sides. Serve with catsup or tomato sauce.

Eggplant Casserole

• 1 medium eggplant, peeled
• 3 slices loaf bread, toasted
• 1/2 c. sweet milk
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• 1 medium onion

• 3 tbsp. butter
• 1/8 tsp. pepper
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 Tbsp. cream or 1/2 cup grated cheese

Boil eggplant in salted water until tender. Drain and mash. Soak bread in milk until soft; mix with mashed eggplant. Add eggs, onion, butter, pepper and salt.

Pour mixture into 1 quart casserole dish which has been buttered. Pour cream over mixture or sprinkle on grated cheese. Bake in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.

Stuffed Eggplant

• 3 eggplants
• 6 slices toasted bread
• 2 whole eggs
• 1 chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped ham
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1/2 cup waterbuttered bread crumbs

Wash eggplant, cut in half lengthwise. Scoop out inside. Put eggplant shells in pot, cover with water, cook 5 minutes. Drain. Cook scooped out eggplant in a little water until tender, let cool. Soak 6 slices of toasted bread in eggplant water. Add 2 whole eggs.

Brown chopped onion in margarine or bacon drippings. Add chopped ham and eggplant mixture. Add 1/2 cup chopped celery. Cook until browned. Put mixture into eggplant shells, place in shallow pan or pyrex dish. Put 1/2 cup water in pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Top with buttered bread crumbs.

French Fried Eggplant

• 2 medium sized eggplant
• pan of ice water
• 1 tbsp. salt
• black pepper to taste (if desired)
• 4 tbsp. flour or meal (optional)

Peel the eggplants and cut like french fries. Place them in a pan of ice and water, add the 1 tablespoon salt. Let them stand in the water for 20-25 minutes. If the ice melts before the time is up, add more ice.

Drain off water, and fry in deep fat. You can pepper and flour or meal them lightly before frying if you desire. When you remove them from the skillet, drain on a paper towel.

Stuffed Tomatoes

• 6 ripe tomatoes, average size
• 1 cup ground beef or other meat cooked and chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 1 tsp. vinegar
• 2 cups bread crumbs
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 3 slices bacon, halved

Cut thin slice from stem end of tomatoes. Scoop out pulp, leaving a shell. Mix the pulp with the chopped meat, onion, pepper, vinegar, bread crumbs, salt and pepper.

Mix thouroughly and fill tomato shell. Place filled tomato shells in greased baking dish or pan. Place one half slice of bacon on top of each tomato. Add 1 1/2 cups hot water in pan and bake 20-30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Stuffed Green Peppers

• 6 green peppers
• 2 cups cooked chicken, minced
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 1 onion minced
• 1 tbsp. butter
• 1 tbsp. parsley
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 cup bread crumbs or rice
• 1 cup water or stock
• 1 egg unbeaten

Cut the peppers in halves crosswise, remove the seeds and cut off the stems. Chop the meat and onion together. Mix all the ingredients together except the water or stock.

Fill the peppers, stand them in a pan and put the hot stock or water around them. Bake at 350 degrees basting often, until peppers are tender, about 35 minutes.

Southern Okra

• 1 cup cut okra
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1/2 green pepper
• 1/4 cup salad oil
• 1 cup thick tomato juice
• 1 tbsp. sugar
• 1 tbsp. flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper

Cook okra in boiling salted water ten minutes. Drain. Brown onion and green pepper in salad oil. Add tomato juice, cook slowly five minutes. Add okra and remaining ingredients.

Cook over low heat five minutes longer.

Scalloped Okra

• 1 (no. 303) can cut okra
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3 slices bread with crust, torn into small bits
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 medium onion, chopped
• 1/2 green pepper, chopped
• slivers of cheese (optional)

Mix all ingredients together. Pour into well buttered 1 1/2 quart casserole. Add cheese slivers. Cover with crushed cereal and dot liberally with butter. Bake at 350 degrees until done.

Green Beans

• 2 qt. canned beans
• 2 slices bacon
• 1 tsp. salt

Drain green beans and put in pot. Add enough fresh water to cover beans about 2 inches; add bacon. Boil until beans are tender and water is almost gone from pot.

Fried Green Beans

• 2 lg. cans French cut green beans
• 1 1/2 c. water
• Medium onion chopped fine
• 3 strips bacon

In large frying pan over medium heat, fry bacon. Drain and rinse green beans. Remove bacon and place green beans in bacon dripping. Add 1 1/2 cups water, onions and salt and pepper to taste.

Crumble bacon and add to beans. Fry on medium heat uncovered until liquid has evaporated.

String Beans

• 4 cans string beans(drain water from 2 cans)
• 1 c. butter
• 2 T. black pepper
• 1/4 slice onion
• 1 c. sugar
• 3 T. salt
• 1 slice ham

Pour string beans into a cooking pan. Stir in butter, onion, sliced ham, sugar, pepper and salt. Cook for about 20 minutes.

Baked Beans

• 1 lg. can pork and beans
• 1/3 lg. bell pepper
• 1/4 lg. onion
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 1/2 c. brown sugar
• 1 c. ketchup
• 1 lb. ground beef

Dice pepper and onion. Brown meat. Mix all ingredients in ovenware and bake at 400 degrees for 35 minutes.

Potatoe Recipes Page

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