southern food Archives - Virginia Willis

Spicy Cauli-Mac and Cheese

Post Author:Virginia Willis
Post published:January 8, 2021
Post Category:Grits and Grains
Post Comments:2 Comments

Do we really need another Macaroni and Cheese recipe? According to Restaurant News, “US consumers were eating 19% more cheese per capita at the end of the past decade than at the start, according to the USDA, and restaurants are finding new ways to feed the craving.” That and 10 months of COVID is “Yes, yes we do.” Pasta and cheese combined are one of the ultimate comfort foods — and often unhealthy fat bombs. Want to find out how to reduce calories and points, but not the rich, creamy flavor? Check out my Spicy Cauli-Mac and Cheese makeover.

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Southern New Year’s Day Food Traditions

Post Author:Virginia Willis
Post published:December 31, 2020
Post Category:Vegetables
Post Comments:0 Comments

Want to know why Southerners eat peas and greens? The science behind the salt and smoke? What about Vegan options for Southern New Year’s Day food traditions?! Check it out. (more…)

Recipe Makeover: Sausage-Pecan Balls

Post Author:Virginia Willis
Post published:December 5, 2020
Post Category:Starters and Nibbles
Post Comments:0 Comments

Everyone looks down their nose at sausage balls, pigs in a blanket, and meatballs in BBQ sauce, but the reality is that these popular nibbles are the first to go at a party. The original recipe for sausage balls uses Bisquick. I’ve made a few changes and developed this “from scratch” version — as well as lightening things up with reduced-fat cheese and turkey sausage. Read on to learn how to make them! (more…)

Golden Fruit and Nut Cake (Don’t Call it Fruitcake!)

Post Author:Virginia Willis
Post published:November 27, 2020
Post Category:Bread and Quickbreads
Post Comments:0 Comments

The word fruitcake immediately conjures images of boozy brown bricks studded with bizarre colored unidentifiable bits of fruit. I am not certain how fruitcake became the culinary oddity that it has become, but doesn’t have to be… What about a golden cake studded with naturally sweet bits of dark amber fruit and rich buttery pecans? Now, that sounds delicious! Read on for more about the fruitcake you actually want to make and eat. It’s quick, easy, and absolutely delicious.

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Snickers Chocolate Pudding Cups

Post Author:Virginia Willis
Post published:July 24, 2020
Post Category:Sweet Treats and Desserts
Post Comments:0 Comments

“You got peanuts in my chocolate!” “You got chocolate in my peanuts!” Well, who cares, right?! It’s all good. I’ve got a combination that is going to blow your mind. Rich, dark, and creamy chocolate pudding meets bittersweet caramel and salty peanuts. It’s a flavor combination reminiscent of a Snickers Bar. Snickers are hands-down, my favorite candy bar. It’s been my favorite candy bar for as long as I can remember. Chocolate, caramel, and peanuts are a confectionery trifecta like no other – and now I’m putting that combo in a pudding cup. Check it out.

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Plant Forward BBQ: Sweet Heat Pulled Butternut Squash

Post Author:Virginia Willis
Post published:July 1, 2020
Post Category:Vegetables
Post Comments:3 Comments

Wait, what? I can hear folks now. Vegetarian BBQ? Has she lost her mind? Yes! Well, it’s not a pit-cooked pig, that’s for sure, but hear me out. Barbecue is a solemn and serious business. There is perhaps nothing in the realm of Southern food that stirs deeper emotions. It’s veritably a religion in the South — and so is Southern hospitality. At my table, everyone is welcome and we need to include vegans and vegetarians, too! (more…)

Chocolate Peanut Butter Soft Serve Frozen Dessert

Post Author:Virginia Willis
Post published:June 12, 2020
Post Category:Sweet Treats and Desserts
Post Comments:0 Comments

Believe it or not, I am hesitant to call this decadent bowl of delicious dessert chocolate ice cream. It looks like chocolate ice cream, scoops like chocolate ice cream, is cold and creamy like chocolate ice cream, even tastes *a LOT* like chocolate ice cream, but there’s nary a drop of cream. There are no eggs and sugar, either. The big news is that it may be one of the most favorite techniques I have discovered in the kitchen in a long while! (more…)

Baked Risotto

Post Author:Virginia Willis
Post published:May 16, 2020
Post Category:Grits and Grains
Post Comments:1 Comment

Classic Italian risotto is creamy and comforting. Tender rice flavored with wine and nutty-rich Parmesan cheese and sweet butter. Do you love risotto, but standing at a stove-top and stirring for 30 minutes is more than you can take? Try my easy Baked Risotto that can be a blank canvas for all sorts of add-ins. (more…)

Mama, Faith, and her Classic Poundcake

Post Author:Virginia Willis
Post published:May 10, 2020
Post Category:Sweet Treats and Desserts
Post Comments:9 Comments

Mama, it’s a word that is veritably primal, one of the very first words tiny human baby mouths and brains can conjure. I am a Mama’s girl through and through. Anyone that speaks to me more than a couple of paragraphs essentially knows I love my Mama. She and I have always been very good friends. We’ve spent a lot of time together in the kitchen! She has a sweet tooth and is famous for her poundcake, French butter cookies, and peanut brittle. My love of food and cooking took root in the kitchen with Mama. (more…)

Cornmeal Cake with Strawberries and Vanilla Cream

Post Author:Virginia Willis
Post published:May 5, 2020
Post Category:Sweet Treats and Desserts
Post Comments:6 Comments

Cornmeal Cake is somewhere between a cobbler and cake. Unlike a cobbler, the fruit is served on the side. And, unlike most cakes, the batter is quickly assembled in a bowl without a mixer or worrying about creaming the butter and sugar, adding the ingredients in thirds, or folding in egg whites. It’s a sweet and sturdy version of a yellow cake and would be delicious with strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, or sliced peaches. Right now, strawberries are in season in the Southeast so strawberries, it is!

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Spicy Cauli-Mac and Cheese

Southern New Year’s Day Food Traditions

Recipe Makeover: Sausage-Pecan Balls

Golden Fruit and Nut Cake (Don’t Call it Fruitcake!)

Snickers Chocolate Pudding Cups

Plant Forward BBQ: Sweet Heat Pulled Butternut Squash

Chocolate Peanut Butter Soft Serve Frozen Dessert

Baked Risotto

Mama, Faith, and her Classic Poundcake

Cornmeal Cake with Strawberries and Vanilla Cream

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