Author: Gritcooking- A Southern Girls Taste

I was raised on a large farm in a small community of Long Shop, Virginia. Just a stones throw from Blacksburg, Va and a short drive to the WV boarder. I grew up appreciating Appalachia cooking with low budgets and home grown veggies. What honestly tastes better than a warm tomato out of the garden sliced fat with salt and pepper? Maybe a bowl of good brown pinto beans and cornbread. Or even better grilled trout fresh caught from the creek! My childhood was a dream... and what has made my passion for food- sharing good meals with good friends and loved ones. My food always has a story and always in sizes to share. I now have begun a new adventure with my love Jason, and we created the Bellman and Concierge LLC and reopened the beautiful Oaks Victorian Inn. A childhood home I knew well growing up and now saving for many to enjoy as a Boutique Bed and Breakfast. Cooking for guests and sharing traditions. Come visit us at https://theoaksvictorianinn.com Im a county girl with a lot of love to share and I share in my cooking, stories and big hugs. Girl raised in the South cooking- that's me! GRITCOOKING! I hope you enjoy and please, share and give feedback on what you like or wanting to know more on. Much LOVE always.

Living in the beautiful state of Oregon, we consumed really good Asian food, all the time. I guess we got a bit spoiled on all the fabulous choices that now, I struggle to find those americanized dishes. One of my favorite is General Taos and spicy sesame beef. Spicy, tangy, goodness on delicious rice. Here is a version that filled the tastebuds with all the flavors I missed. You will need to get the right ingredients, but so worth the final dish. Can be made with chicken breast, steak, or as I did a lean small port tenderloin.

The secret to a good stir fry is a very hot skillet or wok, have all your ingredients ready to cook and pre-prepped. When you leave a stir fry for a seasoning, you will get over cooked mushy results. have it all organized and ready.

Protein one of following- small pork tenderloin , two large organic skinless chicken breasts, trimmed 1/2 inch steak (cleaned and bite sized cubed)
small zucchini seeded and cubed
small yellow onion halved and sliced
1 cubed red pepper
1 cubed green peper
2 cloves garlic finely chopped
1 inch ginger root peeled and zested
1 small orange zest= 2 teaspoons
Juice of 1 orange
1/2 cup orange juice ( or fresh squeezed )
2 Table spoons Soy sauce
2 table spoons Hoisin sauce
2 tsp rice vinegar
1 tsp seseme seed oil
2 Table spoons hoisin sauce
1 tsp garlic powder
red pepper flakes
1/4 cup flour
1 Tbs Corn Starch
2 cups cooked white rice of choice.
1/2 cup canola oil
salt and pepper to taste

Pre prep: Trim off fat and skin and cube meat to bite sized pieces. Keeping uniformed. chop all veggies as well as zest orange, peel and zest ginger root.

mix 1 TBS soy sauce, 1/2 cup orange juice, flour, cornstarch in a med sized bowl. Add cubed meat and allow to marinade for 15 minutes – set aside.

small bowl sauce- mix 1 Tbs soy sauce, vinegar, hoisin sauce, garlic, garlic powder, orange and ginger zest, sesame oil, juice of 1 orange , salt and pepper – set aside

large skillet med high heat, add oil and bring to a hot shimmer, add meat piece by piece and discard extra marinade. flash cook until browned and cooked thoroughly. Do not burn. place in a bowl and set aside. discard excess oil leaving just a coating for vegetable – its hot be careful and return pan to burner. Quick cook vegetables until fragrant. Add a tablespoon of water if dry in pan. Once to your tenderness( I like my veggies more crisp). add meat back to the pan and cover with sauce. Heat until bubbly hot and thickens a bit.

Serve with pepper flakes to taste, sesame seeds over hot fresh rice. In addition to this wonderful dish I made a pan of Trader Joes Chicken Gyoza. The BEST! and so easy to prepare.

Entrees, Garden, High Protein, Traditions

Mediterranean Lamb Bowls

July 4, 2022November 30, 2022 Gritcooking- A Southern Girls Taste

Summer fresh herbs and veggies from the garden add an extra fresh element to this easy and tasty bowl. I discovered a ground lamb package in the freezer and wanted lighter than a Shepards pie. Fresh picked cherry tomato, mint, parsley, cucumber, all bring flavors of Greek cuisine. You could make this with ground pork or chicken – seasoning heavy will be key straying from the earthiness of lamb.

1 pound ground lamb
1 cup chopped sweet onlion
Med chopped cucumber seeded
Two cloves garlic minced
Fresh parsley broadleaf
Fresh mint
hummus (store bought original)
1/2 c craisins or golden raisins
Turmeric rice
Olive oil
Feta cheese crumbled
Greek olives
Paprika 2 tsp
Pepper flakes optional
Garlic powder 2 tsp
Salt and pepper
2 tsp all spice
Warm pita bread
Tziziki sauce optional ( I make sour cream chopped garlic, minced cucumber, lemon salt and pepper)

Prep veggies. Chop onion and cucumber. Wash cherry tomatoes and quarter. clean parsley rough chop as well as mint.

Easy rice. 1 cup jasmine in the rice cooker with two cups water and dash of salt. Once cooked add olive oil and two tsp ground turmeric and tablespoon butter. Easy. Rice is done.

Brown your lamb with 1/2 c onion, garlic and dried seasonings and bay leaf. Drain well in fine strainer on paper towel. Lamb has a-lot of fat. Bring back to pan and add your craisins, fresh chopped mint and parsley. Keep warm for bowls. (Salt and pepper to taste) always taste your cooking as you go.

Assembly time! I add a big dollop of hummus center on a bed or rice and then assemble your ingredients. Warm your pitas (simple toaster) and drizzle with oil paprika and fresh chopped herbs. Delish!

Traditions

Mediterranean Lamb Bowls

July 4, 2022July 4, 2022 Gritcooking- A Southern Girls Taste

Mediterranean Lamb Bowls

Breads, breakfast, Traditions

Warm English Muffins

April 20, 2022 Gritcooking- A Southern Girls Taste

Im a huge fan of the english muffin. I love the cornmeal crunch and nooks and crannies that butter can seep into. I also enjoy topping with my favorite seasonal jams. Spring favorite, there is always my orange marmalade. So when Jason ate the last english muffin- of course I pondered how to make. I will never store buy again. If you have a cast iron skillet you can make and freeze these light fluffy muffins to enjoy any day.

This is a two day process to make to ultimate product. But a two hour rest for the dough will suffice. I like to make the easy dough the night before and then skillet hot muffins in the morning. A kitchen aide is really needed or a short dough cycle bread machine.

Ingredients

Flour 2-3/4 c
1-T salt
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup milk
2 T sugar
2. 1/4 tsp yeast
1egg beaten
Light cornmeal or semolina flour for dusting
Veg oil to make overnight bowl non- stick

Mix yeast, milk, water, sugar in a microwave safe glass container. Warm to 110 degrees

Add egg and melted butter mix.

With electric mixer. Take dry ingredients and slowly incorporate wet liquid. Then run on medium and mix for 7 minutes. Dough will be wet and really sticky with a stretch. This step is key and a hand mixer will not paddle the dough accurately.

Cover and allow to rise 30 minutes at room temperature. Transfer to a generously oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate over night.

Preheat oven 350

On a floured surface hand pat dough to 1/4 inch thick. Cut muffins into 3 inch rounds. Reforming scraps. Do t over work.

Rest on parchment paper sprinkled with cornmeal. Lightly dust cornmeal on the tops as well. Cover with light flour towel to rise and rest 30 minutes. Start warming black skillet on low to med low. Dust pan with cornmeal. Bake muffins three or four at a time. 5 minutes on each side with a light lid checking after three minutes to be sure to not cook to fast and avoid burning.

Store in airtight container and consume in four days or freeze.

These muffins are so fresh and light in texture. So delicious.