My mom is trying to get together a gift basket of Southern Food...?

Question

for some northern friends, and we were looking for suggestions. We have some recipes going in like buttermilk pie and cornbread, and little different foods, like Tiger Sauce and pickled okra.

Anything else you guys can think of? Things they can't get.

Answer 1

Proper country cured ham, grits, buttermilk biscuits.

Answer 2

GRITS.

Answer 3

Southwestern-Style Beef and Potato Bake

    Southwestern seasonings make this a flavorful casserole the whole family will enjoy.

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound extra-lean ground beef

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup coarsely chopped onion

1 cup thinly sliced celery

1 tablespoon minced jalapeno peppers, or diced mild chile peppers

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained

1 can (about 12 to 15 ounces) corn with peppers, drained

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

Dash pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

4 medium potatoes, peeled, thinly sliced, about 1 1/2 to 2 pounds

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese

PREPARATION:

Grease a 13x9x2-inch baking dish (2 1/2 to 3 quart size). Heat oven to 350°.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the ground beef, breaking up, and the onions and celery.

Cook, stirring, until beef is browned and vegetables are tender. Add garlic and peppers; cook, stirring, for about 1 minute longer. Stir in the tomatoes, chili powder, salt, pepper, and cumin.

In the prepared baking dish, arrange half of the sliced potatoes, then top with half of the corn and ground beef mixture and half of the cheese. Repeat the layers, ending with the remaining cheese. Cover tightly with foil and bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.

Serves 6.

Herbed Roast Pork Loin and Potatoes

         This roast pork loin and potatoes is a snap to prepare. Serve with a vegetable side dish and your favorite salad for an extra-special meal.

INGREDIENTS:

1 boneless pork loin roast, about 3 to 4 pounds

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme

4 to 6 medium potatoes

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon thyme

1 to 2 teaspoon freeze-dried or fresh chives

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

salt and pepper, to taste

PREPARATION:

Rub pork loin with 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons thyme, then sprinkle with salt and pepper; place pork loin in a shallow roasting pan. Roast at 325° for 50 to 55 minutes.

Meanwhile, peel and quarter potatoes; cook in boiling water for about 10 minutes. Drain, let cool, and place potatoes in a large bowl; toss with olive oil, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, chives, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, and salt and pepper. Place potatoes around pork loin; roast an additional 45 to 60 minutes, or until pork registers at least 155° on a thermometer.

Cover roast pork loin with foil and let stand for about 15 minutes before slicing.

Serves 8 to 10.

Answer 4

Grits

country sausage(jakes or mayo)

white gravy mix

pickled eggs

pickled pigs feet

smoked ham

country ham

butter milk biscuits

Answer 5

I don't know what is available where they live and I don't know where you live either,  but certainly you might send them some grits of different kinds (like fine or coarse) and recipes for making them,  any cheese that is Southern,  a fruit jam or conserve,  any crackers,   maybe some New Orleans coffee blend  and a recipe for beignets to go with them,   and a recipe for Hopping John with a bag of dried black-eyed peas,   and any spices and herbs used in the South

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Answer 6

If you want to teach a "Yankee" how to cook "suthen style", they need this

http://books.google.com/books?id=gIQHMBW...

And don't forget to include blackeyed peas!

Answer 7

not trying to advertise for a company, but when i really miss some southern food i find the nearest cracker barrel to eat.  they have a nice country store also with some old fashion food stuff in there that you can buy off the shelf.  their web site has an order by mail, but it has a small selection compared to the store.  

http://www.ecrackerbarrel.com/CBFixins.n...

haven't tried it personally, but know of others that love the deluxe breakfast sampler.  

Deluxe Breakfast Sampler

Item      Delivered

Price  

K1051CB     $86.95  

Our "most bountiful" variety sampler all packed together and ready-to-ship right to your door. This Sampler contains:

Four (3 to 4 oz.) Country Ham Steaks

Two 1 lb. packages of Country Bacon

12 oz. bottle Pure Maple Syrup

28 oz. jar of Cracker Barrel Apple Butter

Two pots worth of Cracker Barrel Coffee

Two (28 oz.) jars of Cracker Barrel Fried Apples

5 lb. bag of Cracker Barrel Grits

1 lb. Country Ham Biscuit Cut

1 lb. Country Pepper Coated Bacon, sliced

Two (2 lb.) bags of Cracker Barrel Pancake Mix

if it's the cost that worries you then you could get simular things for a home made basket.

my favorite cook that has some southern influences is paula deen on food network.  Here's her recipe collection online.  she has some homemade jam recipe in there.  could also try her dutch oven peach cobbler recipe.  where you can pack can fruits, the dry ingredents into a jar and directions on how to combine and cook it.  she also has some cook books out at book stores.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/re_colle...

my favorite recipe from the food network is fried green tomatoes by emeril.

Answer 8

Canned greens (southern style), good country ham slices, Cheerwine, Pralines, Local peanuts, and my favorite MOON-PIES! All in a paper sack from the Piggly Wiggly supermarket.

Answer 9

Look up gift baskets on web. Also LLBean has some. gl

Answer 10

I'd put in a bag of Martha White cornmeal, or, the Cotton Pickin' Cornbread mix.  My best friend lives in MD, and she can't even find that there, so I know in VT, it'd be like the proverbial needle in a haystack.  Maybe put in recipes for fried green tomatoes, and, a sack of pintos and some streak 'o lean or fatback, too.

Maybe a six pack of RC Cola, and another of Cheerwine or Sun Drop, and some Moore's potato chips, and, of course, Moon Pies.  Then, for condiments, a bottle of Texas Pete hot sauce, and some Duke's mayonnaise.

  Hmm...let's think a bit.  I'm fortunate enough to have not left the South but for short trips, and I'm always tickled to get back home.

I'd definitely throw a box of Goody's headache powders in, 'cause you just can't find them anywhere else, other than the South,  and nothing else works near as well.

Answer 11

Georgia Peach tea, peach or fruits jams, BBQ sauce, Vidalia onion potato chips or dressing/marinade, honey glazed pecans, pecan pie/tarts, Paula Deen cookbook, cafe du monde coffee, beignet mix, Paul Prudhomme's Cajun spice mix, Cajun & Creole spices, marinades and mixes, hush puppies mix, grits, pralines, small bottle of Southern Comfort....

Answer 12

I am appalled and offended by some of the "southern" food that is suggested here. Our finest culinary achievements do not include Sun-drop cola, mayonnaise, and potato chips. This is more white trash than southern. Sorry.

I think your idea for including cornbread is great, since most northern people have not experienced the joys of a real southern cornbread, and have only had Jiffy mix. (blech.) How about making some homemade preserves to go with your biscuits? My Big Mama (great-grandmother) would make peach preserves.

What about pecan pie? Or pecan pralines? (For those of you who are confused, they aren't pray-leens, they're prah-leens.) Divinity?

I'd toss in a bottle of Louisiana Hot Sauce, for sure, and maybe a bottle of homemade pepper vinegar (so easy to throw together) for accompanying greens.

I'll post my method for making cut biscuits if you like. I've been making biscuits since I was a child and I think I'm finally getting it right!

Some might suggest sweet tea, but I'm as southern as it gets, and we never had sweet tea. It wasn't until I was older and experienced the commercialization of southern culture that I had sweet tea. My Big Mama drank water, or she drank a glass of buttermilk with dinner for a treat.

How about fritters? Say, an apple fritter for example? Or a fried pie? I'd try to include blackberries somewhere in there. It's a bad time of year to get blackberries; they'll be expensive, but if it were summertime they'd be everywhere.

I'd like to point out, on a side note, that Paula Deen's isn't southern cooking, per se. I mean, it is, but it's specifically "lowcountry" as she is from Savannah, and that is quite a bit different than the rest of southern cooking. Also, I'm not sure whether Cajun should be included in southern, as it almost certainly deserves its own category. I suppose it depends on where you're from.