Dixie Grace Cooks

To make seasoning

• Mix spices together. Seal in a glass jar. Use as needed.

To prepare chicken

• Wash chicken pieces and soak in buttermilk for several hours or overnight.

To cook chicken

• Add cooking oil or shortening to cast iron skillet. You will want to use a good amount of oil—maybe 1/2-inch, depending on the depth of your skillet—but not too much. You're frying not deep-frying. If you chose to use the deep frying method, use the proper tools, which includes a deep fryer.
• After oil has heated, add chicken pieces. Some people like to leave a lot of room between pieces, but I've always found that chicken placed single layer in the skillet and reasonably packed will brown better.

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Prepare baking pan by spraying with cooking spray, then coasting lightly with 1/8 - 1/4 cup flour. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, prepare cake mix per package directions. (A gluten free yellow cake mix will work well for this recipe.)
• Mash or puree bananas. Add mashed banana and spices to cake batter. Mix well.
• Gently fold in chocolate chips.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes. Don't overtake. Bread will be done when a knife or toothpick inserted into the center will come out clean.
• Remove from the pan while still warm. Serve warm or cold. If desired, serve with a dollar of whipped cream and/or chocolate syrup.

• Rinse black-eyed peas with water, place into a crockpot and cover with water. Soak overnight.
• The following morning, pour off the old water and replace with 4-5 cups fresh water. Turn crockpot to high.
• Chop country ham into bitesize pieces. Add to crockpot.
• Dice garlic and add to crockpot.
• Add ground black pepper to taste to crockpot. There's no need to add salt, because the country ham is salty.
• Wash the rosemary sprig and add it to crockpot.
• Cover crockpot with lid and turn to high. Cook peas for 5-6 hours. Check for doneness. If peas are tender, turn the crockpot to warm until you're ready to serve your meal. Remove rosemary sprig before serving.
• This dish makes a delicious side for fried chicken or pork loin, or it can be make as a meal on its own served with Thunder & Lightning (Green Tomato Relish) and a pan of hot cornbread.

• Sterilize enough jars and lids to hold relish. Set aside.
• Line a large colander with cheesecloth, place in sink or in a large bowl. Set aside.
• In a food processor, in batches, coarsely grind tomatoes, red bell peppers, green bell peppers, and then onions.
• Pour veggies into cheesecloth-lined colander and allow to drain for an hour.
• In a large, non-aluminum stockpot, combine tomato mixture with celery seed, mustard seed, salt, sugar, and vinegar. Bring to a boil and simmer over low heat five minutes, stirring frequently.
• Pack relish into sterilized jars, making sure there are no spaces or air pockets. Fill jars all the way to top. Add lids and tightly screw on rings.
• Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway with boiling water. Carefully lower jars into pot using a holder. Leave a 2 inch space between jars. Pour in more boiling water if necessary, until tops of jars are covered by 2 inches of water. Bring water to a full boil, then cover and process for 30 minutes.
• Remove jars from pot and place on cloth-covered or wood surface, several inches apart, until cool. Check to be sure each jar sealed.

• Mix all together. NOTE: You don’t need to cut the shortening into the flour first. 
• Generously sprinkle dough board with additional flour. Knead dough until slightly stiff. Roll out to about 1” thick and cut into circles.
• Bake at 400 degrees on a greased baking sheet. Serve warm. Enjoy!