The Villa Park Women’s League Dinners come with tested recipes.  They are printed below.

Picnic in the South

Crab Cakes

Fried Green Tomatoes

Peach Burrata

Green Beans with Bacon

Corn on the Cob with Lime Butter

Finger Lickin Good Ribs

Oven Fried Chicken

Grilled Potato Salad

White Cheddar and Bacon Grits

Hush Puppies

Peach Cobbler with Vanilla Ice Cream

Pecan Pie

Whiskey Pie

Crab Cakes

Ingredients:

• 1 lb crab meat. Fresh is best! ( you can use canned from the refrigerated section but make sure it’s “back fin” vs claws or Trader Joe’s lump crab)
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 Tab Worcestershire sauce
• 1 Tab baking powder
• 3 slices white bread, crust removed
• 2 Tab milk (a little extra if bread is dry)
• 1 tsp Old Bay seasoning
• 1 tsp mayo (she swore by Hellman’s which is Best Foods here)
• 1 tsp prepared yellow mustard
• ¼ tsp white vinegar
• 1 egg, beaten
• vegetable oil or shortening

Directions:

1. Break bread into small pieces in bowl.
2. Moisten with the milk until almost soggy.
3. Mix in the rest of the ingredients.
4. Using approximately 2T of mix, shape into cakes. Place on plate.
5. Refrigerate.
6. Fry in a small amount of vegetable oil or shortening.

Serves: 20 cakes at 2 tablespoons/cake or (40 minis at 1 tablespoon/cake)

Source: Hilda Koegel Pitts (Robbie Pitts grandmother)

Fried Green Tomatoes

Ingredients:

• 3 or 4 large firm green tomatoes
• Salt
• 2 c vegetable or peanut oil, for deep-frying
• 1 c buttermilk
• 2 c self-rising flour
• salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Slice the tomatoes 1/4-inch thick.
2. Lay them out in a shallow baking pan and sprinkle with salt.
3. Place the tomato slices in a colander and allow time for salt to pull the water out of the tomatoes, approximately 30 minutes.
4. Pat tomatoes dry with paper towels.
5. In a skillet, heat the oil for deep-frying (375°) over medium-high heat.
6. Dip the tomatoes into buttermilk,
7. Then dredge them into flour seasoned with salt and with a dash of pepper.
8. Deep-fry until golden brown.
9. Drain on paper towels.
10. Keep warm.

Expert Tips:

Vidalia Onion Relish

Ingredients:

• 2 sweet white onions, diced (Vidalia if you can get them – usually late April through August)
• 1/2 c mayonnaise
• 1/2 c rice wine vinegar
• 2 Tab brown sugar
• 2 Tab chopped chives

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl.
2. Cover with plastic wrap and let marinate for a few hours.

Serves: 4 – 6

Source:  Paula Deen

Peach with Burrata and Tarragon

Cut peaches in thirds, remove pit.  Brush with olive oil. Place peach sections on a serving tray. Top each peach portion with 1-2 T burrata, a pinch of fresh tarragon, a drizzle of savory olive oil and Balsamic reduction.  Finish with a tiny pinch of coarse salt.

Oven Fried Chicken

Ingredients::

Nonstick cooking spray, for spraying the rack and chicken
6  c broken bagel chips or Melba toast
4  c rice-corn crispy cereal, such as Crispix
3 Tab oil
5 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp sweet paprika
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 c light mayonnaise
4 tsp Dijon mustard
12 bone-in, skinless chicken pieces, about 6 ounces each (see Cook’s Note)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°.
2. Set a rack on a foil-lined baking sheet. Spray the rack generously with cooking spray.
3. Finely grind the bagel chips and cereal together in a food processor.
4. Transfer the crumbs to a gallon-size plastic bag.
5. Add the oil, salt, cayenne, paprika and ground pepper and toss to mix thoroughly.
6. Whisk the light mayonnaise and Dijon mustard together in a medium shallow bowl.
7. Add the chicken to the mayonnaise mixture and turn to coat all the pieces evenly.
8. Drop the chicken into the plastic bag, seal and shake until each piece is evenly coated.
9. Place the coated pieces on the prepared rack.
10. Spray the chicken pieces evenly with cooking spray.
11. Bake until the coating crisps and browns and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the pieces registers 160°, 35 to 40 minutes.
12. Transfer to a platter and serve hot or at room temperature.

We like to cook the chicken on the bone for a real moist and juicy chicken experience. If you can’t find bone-in skinless chicken, simply pull off the skin before coating. Chicken breast halves can be quite large. To get a healthy 6 ounce portion, cut the breast pieces crosswise with a heavy knife into pieces about the same size as a chicken thigh.

Finger Lickin BBQ Ribs

• 2 1/2 Tab kosher salt
• 1 Tab dry mustard
• 1 Tab paprika
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 c port
• 8 pounds baby back pork ribs (8 racks) or St. Louis-style spareribs (4 racks)
• 1 1/2 c KC Masterpiece barbecue sauce plus more

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Combine first 5 ingredients in a small bowl.
3. Place each rack of ribs on a double layer of foil.
4. Sprinkle rub all over ribs.
5. Place in ovenproof dish.
6. Add port,.
7. Cover tightly with foil.
8. Bake ribs until very tender but not falling apart, about 2 hours for baby backs and 3 hours for spareribs.
9. Carefully unwrap ribs; pour any juices from foil into a 4-cup heatproof measuring cup.
10. Reserve juices.
11. Let ribs cool completely.
12. When ready to serve, mix reserved liquid with BBQ sauce.
13. Slather the baked ribs with barbecue sauce then broil (or grill) the ribs for a few minutes until the sauce is caramelized.

DO AHEAD: Ribs can be baked up to 3 days ahead.

Juicy Grilled Corn on the Cob

Ingredients:

• 1 gallon water
• ½ c sugar
• 8 ears of corn
• 8 Tab butter, soft
• 4 Tab lime
• 1/2 tsp grated lime peel
• 1/2 tsp salt

Directions:

1. Bring water to a boil.
2. Add sugar.
3. Gently place ears of corn into boiling water Cover the pot, turn off the heat. Let the corn cook in the hot water until tender, about 10 minutes.
4. While corn is cooking, mix softened butter with lime juice, grated peel and salt.

Hush Puppies

Ingredients:

• 6 c peanut oil
• 1 1/2 c self-rising cornmeal
• 1/2 c self-rising flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 c buttermilk
• 1 egg, lightly beaten

Directions:

1. Using a deep pot, preheat oil for frying to 350°.
2. Using a mixing bowl, stir together the cornmeal, flour, baking soda, and salt.
3. Stir in the onion.
4. In a small bowl, stir together the buttermilk and egg.
5. Pour the buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredients and mix until blended.
6. Drop the batter, 1 teaspoon at a time, into the oil. Dip the spoon in a glass of water after each hushpuppy is dropped in the oil.
7. Fry until golden brown, turning the hushpuppies during the cooking process.

Green Beans with Bacon

Not all green beans are alike. The longer the bean was on the vine, the tougher it can be. Fresh, young beans should be able to cook up perfectly well in less than 6 minutes. Tough old beans, you’ll have to cook a lot longer to get them tender. Look for beans that easily snap in half when you bend them.

Ingredients:

• 10  pound fresh green beans, ends snipped off and discarded, extra long beans, cut in half if you want
• Salt
• 8  slices of bacon
• Black pepper
• 5 Tab lemon juice or cider or red wine vinegar

Directions:

1. Heat a pot of salted water to a rolling boil (1 Tbsp salt for 2 quarts of water).
2. Add the green beans and boil them for 4-5 minutes, until just tender enough to eat (you may have to cook longer depending on the particular green beans you have).
3. Drain and set aside.
4. While the water is heating up to boil the beans, slowly cook the bacon until crispy in a large sauté pan set over medium-low heat.
5. Use a slotted spoon or a fork to remove the bacon from the pan.
6. Set the bacon on paper towels to sop up the excess fat.
7. You should have about one tablespoon of fat left in the pan. Pour off any fat beyond 1 tablespoon. (Do not pour the fat down the drain or you’ll stop up your drain.) If you have much less fat than a tablespoon left in the pan, add a little olive oil or butter to the pan.
8. Once the green beans are cooked, sauté them over medium-high heat for 1-2 minutes in the bacon fat.
9. Dice the bacon.
10. Add to the pan and sauté another minute.
11. Put the beans and bacon into a large serving bowl and sprinkle generously with freshly ground black pepper.
12. Toss with lemon juice or vinegar and serve at once.

White Cheddar and Bacon Grits

Ingredients:

• 5 c milk
• 1 c quick cooking grits
• 1 tsp salt, divided
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper, divided
• 1/4 c butter
• 1/4 c grated white Cheddar
• 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan, bring the milk to a boil over medium-high heat.
2. Add the grits, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper, and the butter.
3. Cook and stir frequently, until the grits are soft.
4. Stir in cheese and bacon.
5. Set aside and keep warm.

Bobby’s Grilled Potato Salad

Ingredients:

• 2 lb haricot vert, trimmed (little green beans)
• 48 fingerling potatoes
• 4 Tab kosher salt
• 1 ½ c  red wine vinegar
• 8  Tab freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 8 Tab  Dijon mustard
• 4  Tab clover honey
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4  c extra-virgin Greek olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• Canola oil, for grilling
• 1 ½ lbs feta, crumbled
• 1 1/2 c pitted Kalamata olives
• 8  Tab lightly chopped fresh oregano
• Fresh parsley leaves, for garnish

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the haricot vert until al dente, about 90 seconds.
2. Shock in ice water.
3. Drain well.
4. Chop in halves or thirds and reserve.
5. Put the potatoes in a large pot, cover with 2 inches cold water and add 1 tablespoon salt.
6. Bring to a boil and cook until a small knife inserted into the center of the potato meets with some resistance, about 5 minutes.
7. Drain well.
8. Pace on a baking sheet and let cool slightly.
9. Halve lengthwise.
10. Whisk the vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, honey and salt and pepper.
11. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until emulsified.
12. Heat the grill to medium heat. T
13. Toss the potatoes with canola oil.
14. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
15. Grill until golden brown in spots, tossing occasionally, about 5 minutes.
16. Remove and toss with some of the vinaigrette.
17. Combine the potatoes, green beans, feta cheese, olives and oregano in a bowl.
18. Toss with more of the vinaigrette.
19. Taste and season with salt and pepper if necessary.
20. Scatter the parsley leaves over the top and drizzle with a bit more olive oil.

Pecan Pie

Ingredients:

• 3 eggs slightly beaten
• 1C. either light or dark Karo
• 1 c sugar
• 2 T butter, melted
• 1t vanilla
• 1 ½ c. Pecans
• 1 9” unbaked pie shell

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°
2. In a large bowl, stir the first 5 ingredients until well blended.
3. Stir in pecans.
4. Pour into pie shell with foil around the rim to prevent burning.
5. Bake 50-55 minutes.
6. Remove the foil for the last 15 minutes.
7. Test by inserting a knife half way between center and the edge of the crust. Knife should come out clean.

Whiskey Pie

Ingredients:

• 4-5 medium sweet potatoes
• 10 inch pie crust + top
• 1/2 lb butter
• 1 1/2 c sugar
• 1 Tab whole all spice, crushed fine
• 10 Tab bourbon
• 10 Tab water

Directions:

1. Boil 4-5 medium sweet potatoes until done.
2. Peel when cool.
3. Make a (10”) pie crust-if the crust recipe calls for 3/4c shortening, use ¼ c less.
4. Line pie pan with crust and do not trim.
5. Break potatoes into chunks until you round out the pan.
6. Cut 1 stick of butter into pieces over the potatoes.
7. Sprinkle sugar, mixed with allspice (put into a cloth and crush fine).
8. Drizzle 10 T 100 proof bourbon mixed with 10 T water over the potatoes and spices.
9. Roll out second crust, wet first crust then stick this to the bottom crust.
10. Trim ¼ “ from the rim, turn both under and crimp.
11. SEAL WELL.
12. Punch holes in top crust with a fork.
13. Brush top crust with melted butter, then sprinkle with more sugar.
14. Bake 325° 45-60 minutes until “good and brown”

Peach Cobbler with Vanilla Ice Cream

Ingredients:

• 4 c peeled, sliced peaches
• 2 c sugar, divided
• 1/2 c water
• 8 Tab butter
• 1 1/2 c self-rising flour
• 1 1/2 c milk
• Ground cinnamon, optional

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Combine the peaches, 1 cup sugar, and water in a saucepan and mix well.
3. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Remove from the heat.
5. Put the butter in a 3-quart baking dish.
6. Place in oven to melt.
7. Mix remaining 1 cup sugar, flour, and milk slowly to prevent clumping.
8. Pour mixture over melted butter.
9. Do not stir.
10. Spoon fruit on top, gently pouring in syrup.
11. Sprinkle top with ground cinnamon, if using.
12. Batter will rise to top during baking.
13. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes.
14. Buy good Vanilla or French Vanilla Ice Cream