Current Cookbook - Better Homes and Gardens Heritage of America Cookbook (Kitchen Companion)

HERITAGE OF AMERICA COOKBOOK (Kitchen Companion) - by Better Homes and Gardens

This cookbook has a copyright of 1993. This is part of my moms cookbook collection that she recently gave me. I have never cooked from this before. Mom has put a little "x" next to recipes she wanted to try.

It wasn't until I researched this cookbook that I found it is a "companion" to a full color, more extensive cookbook of the same name. Basically it's just all the recipes without the photos, historical information etc. I have no idea if somewhere in my moms collection she has the full cookbook. I guess the idea was that since the original book was big and had so much information, this spiral bound version with just recipes would be easier for cooks to use in the kitchen.

The companion is divided into regions: New England,  Middle Atlantic, The South,  Midwest,  Southwest, West and The Pacific Northwest and Beyond. Each recipe lists the state where the recipe was supposed to have originated. From what I can infer in reading about the larger more informative  book, the recipes are supposed to be native to the region they are in (though there might be some debate). For instance "Empanaditas" show up in the Southwest section under Arizona. The brief blurb about origin (which each recipe has) states "like the savory Cornish pasties of the Midwest and the fried fruit pies so relished in the South, these southwestern turnovers are beloved regional treats. At Christmas, they are filled with dried fruits preserved from the fall harvest". There are over 300 recipes packed into the 200 plus pages.  No photos.

I'm finding this a fun cookbook to look through. While some recipes seem obvious where they might have come from (Peach Pie from Georgia, Beignets from Louisiana), others I didn't know (Black Bean Soup from Florida, Whoopie Pies from Iowa). Among the many recipes I want to try are Boston Baked Beans with Pancetta (from Massachusetts), Cheesy Creamed Corn, Chocolate Snickerdoodle Drops (both from Connecticut), Fried Green Tomatoes (Kentucky), Cheesy Corn and Grits (S. Carolina), Cheddar-Bacon Puffs (Wisconsin), Bigos (a type of Hunters Stew from  Illinois), Pink Rhubarb Punch (Nebraska), Potato Skins with Mushroom Filling (Idaho), Chicken Salad with Jalapeno Dressing (California) and pretty much anything listed in the Southwest section. Lots of interesting recipes to try, though I think I'll try one my mom had marked first.

Comments

[Chris]

The Cheesy Corn and Grits caught my eye!

[Mrs. L]

Chris - Definitely something that I want to try. I've only had grits a few times and have never cooked with it.