December Thrifty - Week 5 #1 ~ Georgia Cookbooks: Savannah & Atlanta

Savannah a la Carte, published in 1999. Recipes were collected by the Savannah Symphony Women's Guild.  The Savannah Symphony was founded in 1953 and at the time of publication  averaged 300 performances a year. The chapters are based on annual events held by the symphony and a few themed parties as well.  The first chapter is Picnics in the Park or On the River with many light entrées and desserts. The title is taken from the Symphony's most attended event of the year. Next up, Chamber Concerts, features the Maestro's favorites recipes, including a salmon mousse and osso buco. A Jazz brunch incorporate New Orleans favorites, while French Favorites features, brie, pate, seafood and rabbit.

The remaining chapters touch on a South of the Border theme, Exotic Adventures - with a Pacific Rim vibe, Mediterranean Feasts - both Greek and Italian, and lastly Gala Affairs.

An Atlanta Tradition, published in 1983.  This copy is the second edition with the first published the previous year for a total of 15,000 copies.  The recipes were compiled by the Marist School Parents Club.  The Marist School is a private Catholic college preparatory institute located in Atlanta, Georgia.  It was founded in 1901 in downtown Atlanta as a boys military school and moved to its current location in 1962 and currently admits both males and females.

The recipes include appetizers & beverages, casual entertaining, soups & breads, entrées, vegetables & accompaniments, sweets and a bonus chapter. At the start of each chapter is a dish contributed by a local restaurant with a brief profile of the donor.  Each recipe has a list of the cookware and or equipment needed to complete the dish in the side margin - very useful! Some interesting drinks I found in the beverage section were for a Scarlett O'Hara (lime juice, cranberry juice with Southern Comfort) and something I may actually try to make - Homemade Kahlua. In the casual entertaining chapter there was a dish titled Bourbon Hot Dogs - basically wieners marinated in a bourbon & brown sugar mixture.

There was a recipe for homemade Aplets which I remember seeing around the holidays while growing up. The bonus chapter is filled with numerous sandwich fillers and recipes for relishes and sauces.

The book was a gift to previous owner from her friends and was inscribed" The Best Way to a Man's Heart". Not sure if it worked out for "Debbie", but she did use the book and seemed to be fond of the Pineapple Casserole as it was the most used recipe. She also tried the Minestrone Soup, a Shrimp Casserole (marked excellent!) and Poppy Seed Chicken (I have made this dish and promptly tossed it - blergh).

December Thrifty - Week 4 (and part of week 5) #3 ~ Vintage Community Cookbooks : Republican Women & Linly Heflin

NFRW Republican Woman's Holiday Cookbook, published in 1971. Recipes were solicited from the members of the National Federation of Republican Women.  The books contains tips and hints for numerous party themes with suggested menus and decor.

The recipes begin with a New Year's Eve party with featured dishes from Pat Nixon - Sesame Cheese Balls, Mamie Eisenhower's Million Dollar Fudge - a perennial favorite found in many a community cookbook and an Elk Stroganoff. Next up is a Lincoln Birthday celebration featuring "Pioneer" food including roast venison, followed by a Valentine's Day dinner with duck with orange sauce  or a broiled lobster tail.  All the chapters contain recipes for entrées, appetizers vegetables/sides, beverages and desserts appropriate for each occasion. 

A few other notable holidays are a birthday celebration for George Washington featuring a menu full of cherry themed meals, St. Patrick's Day with its corned beef & cabbage main meal along with Potatoes O'Brien and Irish oatmeal bread, a Fourth of July picnic with potato salad and fried chicken, while Labor Day favors grilled Cornish hens with a rice pilaf. Moving towards the last few months of the year are a Halloween party - sloppy joes, BBQ, candied apples and ciders & punch, plus the usual Thanksgiving and Christmas fare.

An unusual dish, a Shrimp Christmas tree made with endive and boiled shrimp - is not as horrifying as it sounds. The rest of the chapters delve into wedding & anniversaries, birthdays, a bachelor's brunch and a bridesmaid's luncheon (lobster and a mushroom fricassee) and finally game nights - bridge and poker parties.

The Linly Heflin Cook Book, published in 1978. This is the revised fourth edition, with the original printing date in 1962. Linley Heflin is a women's service organization founded in 1919 in Alabama. The group started as a surgical dressing unit and in the present day offers scholarships to Alabama colleges for women in the state. The organization also published a cookbook tilted "Oven Magic" in 1940. The dishes were collected by the ladies of the group and reflect old favorites, Southern treasures and "used with great success" recipes.

Of course the usual fare is featured: beverages - including the "Pussyfoof" ~ simple syrup, the juice from 4 oranges and 6 lemons and gin, hors d'oeuvres, soups, breads - with a strange dish titled beer dessert waffles, cheese & eggs, entrées - in addition to the oft found beef and chicken, there are recipes for sweetbreads, capon, squab and pheasant, veggies, salads & dressings, sauces, and  desserts - a dish named Kentucky Specialty - a concoction of marshmallows soaked in rum mixed with almond macaroons and topped with Cool Whip and cherries .

There is a chapter on patio foods with mostly grilled dishes including steaks, burger and kabobs. The final sections are wine and herb charts, plus helpful charts with weights, measurements and equivalents.

December Thrifty - Week 4 #2 ~ Nathalie Dupree & Historic Georgia

Southern Memories, published in 1993.  Lots of amazing Southern recipes from one of my favorite authors - as you will see in the next couple of posts. I found several of her books a few weeks apart. Lots of gorgeous photos in classic Southern settings accompany the recipes.

The first chapter covers pick-ups AKA appetizers - many which can be made in moments notice - especially helpful for drop-in visits.  Somehow boiled peanuts made the cut even though they do take a while to prepare. Up next is Ladies Lunches which touts dishes with a touch of class, including candied violets and pansies which can be be used for decorating both the table and cakes. The candied flowers can be stored for up to a year and used several times. Other topics covered include dishes of fishes, comfort food - with a recipe for Poke Sallet , vegetable patch, including a few recipes for "put-ups" and Southern Hospitality with a Quail Pie.

The last chapters are a Sunday Family dinner with a delicious recipe for a roasted chicken and vegetables - a Classic Sunday dish in the South, Holidays, Hot weather food (aspics, light and or fruit salads, BBQ and ice cream), Sweet tooth and lastly Cabin cuisine - fish and game dishes.

Dining in Historic Georgia, published in 1993.  A restaurant guide with recipes. A total of 48 restaurants are featured and were chosen by a three point criteria.  Selections were based on historic, architectural and culinary interest. Many of the buildings or structures housing the dining spots are on the National Historic Registry.

The dishes include appetizers, entrées, breads, desserts, salads & soups and vegetables. The two eateries featured from my hometown - Trumps and Harry Bissets - closed a few years ago, although Trumps still has a catering service. A few other names I recognized were Atlanta stalwarts The Abbey, The Mansion, Lickskillet and of course Mrs Wilkes Boardinghouse in Savannah and the Blue Willow Inn which is located just down the road from me in Social Circle.

December Thrifty - Week 4 #1 ~ Junior League Face-Off : Kentucky & Florida

To Market, To Market, published in 1994.  All recipes were compiled by the Junior League of Owensboro, Kentucky.  The first two pages of the book can be cut into sturdy bookmarks and continue the porcine theme of the cover.

The usual collection of dishes are are featured from beverages through desserts. In the beverage section there is a recipe for a Mint Julep (naturally) and one titled "Yellow Bird" made with rum, creme de banana and pineapple & orange juice.  Some of the game featured in the dishes are squirrel, bear, dove and antelope, plus a baked rattlesnake. There are complete instructions for making barbecued mutton which involves building a pit as the first step. Of course the Famous Hot Brown is listed in the sandwich section and a Chocolate Bourbon Cake in the desserts chapter.

The last section offers tips on menus, ingredient substitutions and equivalents.

Jacksonville & Company, published in 1983.  Another Junior League book, this time from the ladies of Jacksonville, Florida. Lots of great recipes with many featuring seafood as an ingredient, especially shrimp.

The recipes start with appetizers, followed by salads & molds, fish & seafood, meats, vegetables, grains & breads on through desserts. There is a rather complicated recipe for making croissants, proving that maybe it is better to buy a croissant than try to make a few at home.  One of the most interesting dishes is titled "Scampi Bread" in which a French loaf is hollowed out, filled with the scampi and then baked for a few minutes. A "John Wayne's Pie" similar to a quiche, consisting of green chilies, 2 cheeses, eggs and evaporated milk and topped with sliced tomatoes is another unusual recipe. The aptly named "The Girdle-buster" is made by layering coffee and chocolate ice cream alternately with crumbled coconut macaroon cookies and Heath bars then topping with hot fudge sauce.

December Thrifty - Week 3 #3 ~ Bailey & Joel : Good Parties & Comfort Table

Lee Bailey's Good Parties, published in 1986.  Both a cookbook and an entertaining book, as many useful ideas and hints are given by Mr. Bailey in addition to his delicious recipes. There are menus for various dining occasions along with glorious photos taken by the author.  Also included are game plans with timing of the dishes and advance prep tips.

The first chapter is titled Summer House and features many beach themed meals: an oven fish fry, summer salad lunch, a grilled outdoor supper and a fall Sunday lunch. The City is next with an enhanced and sophisticated palate. The menus include an elegant Saturday night dinner, a festive breakfast and a Winter seafood dinner.

A short chapter titled Winter vacation delves into vegetable purees and salads. The last chapter is "My Kitchen and Table". There are photos of Mr. Bailey's favorite glassware, pots & pans, appliances, gadgets, flatware and plates. I absolutely ADORE kitchen gadgets and pored over his collection and found I may lacking in a few things!

The Comfort Table, published in 2008.  The 125 dishes, including updated classics, are delicious and quick to prepare with easily available ingredients. The book opens with a quick list of tips for entertaining then quickly delves into the recipes.

The usual topics are covered from starters, salads & soups, entrées, desserts, etc. This book would be great for novice cooks or for the harried cook as the recipes are simple and easy to prepare. I bookmarked a few for those busy week nights.

December Thrifty - Week 3 #2 ~ Chocolate & New York Times Chefs

Chocolate Cake, published in 2001.  As the title indicates, all things chocolate in cake form. There are 150 recipes for cakes, cupcakes, tortes, brownies, cheesecakes,and one or two for tiramisu.  The dishes range from timeless classics, adaptations of forgotten favorites, interpretations of trendy recipes and a few of the author's own invention.

The first chapter focuses on ingredients, equipment and technique ~ always very useful for both the novice and skilled baker. The last chapters touch on various frostings, icings, fillings and glazes, as well as decorative techniques, garnishes and plating suggestions.

A few tried and true recipes appear on the pages ~ including cakes made with mayonnaise or one with potatoes as an ingredient. The famous "Tunnel of Fudge cake also makes an appearance.

I found several recipes I will try, especially an Orange and Chocolate Bundt cake.


The Chefs of the (NY) Times, published in 2001. Not as pretentious as one would think, many of the recipes are still sophisticated and doable by the average cook. The recipes are from 23 of the "most inspired and revered" chefs in America, although most skewer towards New York chefs. Each chapter highlights a chef with their idea or inspiration for each dish.

A few of the chefs/restaurants highlighted include French Laundry, Union Square Cafe, Gotham Bar & Grill and the Gramercy Tavern. Of course there are a few trendy recipes, including many risotto dishes, confits, foie gras and numerous dishes with a gratin finish. The only "exotic" ingredient I noticed was for tamarind, which is not that hard to find ~ I love eating tamarind candy, it's both sweet and sour at the same time!

A few stand-out recipes are a pan roasted filet mignon, crab spring rolls and French brownies made with 11 (!!) eggs. A Sicilian Christmas feast featuring all seafood dishes also looks yummy.

December Thrifty - Week 3 #1 ~ The Red Hat Society Cookbook

The Red Hat Society Cookbook, published in 2006.  Holy crap these ladies LOVE their sweets, in fact the book opens with desserts.  Of the 1,000+ recipes (from the World's Most Divine Ladies) contained within, I would say less then 10% could even be considered low-fat or low-calorie. I would bet lots of money their favorite "chef" is Paula Deen. That said I did spot many a recipe that I would give a try and not just the loads of yummy dessert entries.

After the dessert chapter, the book moves onto appetizers & beverages, breakfast/brunch, bread, tea time treats (more desserts!), soups & salads, pizza, sandwiches ~ including wraps & burritos, entrées ~ with a chapter on meatless entrées and of course veggies/sides.

The most unique recipe I spotted was for a Twinkie Casserole - YES a casserole made with Hostess Twinkies as the base, covered with a jar of caramel topping, then a bag of mini marshmallows are added and spread over the caramel, THEN you add a jar of hot fudge topping, a sprinkle of cinnamon, the last step in this dessert spectacular - layer a bag of Oreoes or  Hydrox over the top - Serve immediately!

December Thrifty - Week 1 #2 ~ Alton Brown Baking

I'm Just Here for More Food (Baking), published in 2004.  More of a scientific approach to baking, the recipes are written as formulas with as little words as possible.  There is a "origin" recipe that is improved upon as the chapter progresses. On the first page of each chapter there is a fold-over section used  as a bookmark/reminder on the 5 steps to complete each recipe.

The book opens with an explanation of the 5 part process used for each recipe, then delves into the science. Molecular properties of ingredients are discussed as well as their interactions and reactions with each other. The detailed information of each ingredient including the various types of fours and sugars available is quite helpful and would make this an excellent book to give to any new baker.

The methods included in the book are the muffin method ~ waffles, muffins (of course), pancakes and breads, the biscuit method ~ biscuits, scones & dumplings and the creaming ~ cakes, cookies and brownies.

The next three methods are straight dough ~ bread, rolls & brioche, egg foam ~ soufflé and angel food, plus custards ~ puddings, curds and mousse.

December Thrifty - Week 1 #1 ~ Emeril Times Two!

Emeril's Potluck,  published in 2004. Recipes for comfort food with a kicked up attitude and filled with many crowd pleasing dishes.  There are 10 chapters in all which cover a wide array of topics. Up first are the basics ~ simple recipes for the stocks, salsa and mayonnaise used in a few of the recipes. The second chapter is drinks - of course this being New Orleans all contain alcohol - two of the recipes I can't wait to try are for a watermelon daiquiri and a Dark & Stormy (ginger beer/ale and dark rum). Next are starters many of the seafood variety and quite a few made with sausage including a sausage stuffed French bread.

Salads are the topic of chapter four and none are of the congealed variety! Soups, gumbos and chowders make up the fifth chapter, followed by casseroles. The Beyond chapter is filled with several jambalaya dishes, tamales, steaks/meats and the ubiquitous Country Captain, often found in many Southern cookbooks.

Closing out the book are sides (including stuffings/dressings, veggies, grits, and pilafs), breads & biscuits and lastly desserts. Found a simple recipe for a flour-less cake that sounds divine.


Emeril's Creole Christmas, published in 1997.  Filled with 100 recipes including complete menus, shopping lists and suggested wines to celebrate the holidays with a touch of Louisiana.  The first menu, a Christmas dinner for 10, features a beef tenderloin for the main course and a mushroom bread pudding (??) as a side. There is a menu for a Christmas brunch buffet with a white cheddar truffle omelet and poinsettia cocktails, as well as a New Year's Eve dinner with a New Orleans style catfish stuffed pork chop.

Other menus includes a New Years' Day family meal consisting of duck with collards, plus holiday favorites including a crawfish quiche and a lobster cheesecake. The stocking stuffer chapter explores sauces, marinades and ketchups that can be made and given as gifts. Also on the gift side are homemade peanut brittle, mints and fruitcake.

There are notes from a sommelier on choosing the the correct wine for meals and tidbits on various types of wine scattered throughout the pages.

One interesting recipe in the gift section is for a Three-Tiered Braided Christmas Bread, a recipe for those not of the faint of heart as explained by this hilarious article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/food/emerils-christmas-bread-a-story-of-2-loaves-3-colors-and-1-frightened-baker/2013/12/09/f2e78c2e-5d46-11e3-bc56-c6ca94801fac_story.html

Amazon Shopping - The Unofficial Mad Men Cookbook

The Unofficial Mad Man Cookbook, published in 2011. Inside the kitchens, bars and restaurants of "Mad Men".  To kick things off is the longest chapter in the book, and of course it focuses on cocktails with tons of drink recipes and even a history of the cocktail.

The remaining chapters are devoted to appetizers, salads ~ including  the now ubiquitous wedge salad, main courses and sweets. Many of the dishes have a corresponding episode from the show and an introduction before the recipe gives the background of the dish and the relationship to a particular character or event. There are a few "standard" recipes from the era including Turkey Tetrazinni  and Pineapple Upside Down Cake and filling out the pages are vintage advertisements and photos.

I was not surprised to learn a few of the recipes were culled from several vintage cookbooks popular during the mid-century and include many I have in my collection.