March Shopping ~ Week#3/#1 ~ 50% off Cookbooks! Souther Accent and Chocolate Fantasies

Southern Accents, published in 1990. Recipes were compiled by the Junior League of Pine Bluff, Arkansas. The rather large book ( 340 pages) is the 7th edition, with the first published in 1976. We begin with a few suggested menus then the recipes commence.

In Appetizers & Beverage, many of the usual suspects abound, from dips, spreads, cheese balls, meatballs, pate, mini quiches, plus cheese straws and stuffed cucumbers. The beverages include coffees, punches, slushies, mulled wine and a vodka wassail bowl. Eggs & Cheese offers up eggs Sardou, Scotch eggs, a few breakfast casseroles, fried grits, rarebit, souffles, quiche and enchiladas, while in Breads, there are recipes for pancakes, spoon bread, Sally Lunn bread, coffee cakes, brioche, muffins, rolls & biscuits, sourdough bread (and starter!) and a Russian Black bread.

Soups has gumbos - even a few made with duck, chowders and bisque, whereas Sandwiches features an entire loaf of bread filled with three salads (shrimp, pecan and chicken bacon), then slathered with cream cheese. There are more pedestrian choices as well ~  pimento, French dip, burgers, sloppy joes, cucumber and even an oyster loaf. Moving onto Salads & Dressings, there are of course, many congealed options, plus numerous options made with greens, veggies, chicken, rice and potatoes. The dressings include one of my favorites (green Goddess), plus marinades and mayonnaise.

For the Vegetables chapter, many variations are given for preparing asparagus, squash, broccoli, tomatoes, spinach, beans, cabbage, eggplant, potatoes and corn. Seafood offers numerous takes on scallops, frog legs, shrimp (curried or stuffed with crab meat!) , oysters and crab, while Meats & Sauces has beef tournedos, steaks, roasts, stews, kabobs, a few pasta dishes, brisket, casseroles and the Queen of Sheba ~ eggplant, prosciutto, beef tenderloin and asparagus. There are also recipes for pork, lamb and veal, while the sauces include plum, BBQ, mushroom and gravy.

Poultry is all about the bird ~ barbequed, fried, stuffed or made into casseroles, croquettes, dumplings, crepes and paella. Wild Game covers dove, quail, duck & venison, while Accompaniments has hot or baked fruit, brandied conserves, jellies, relish and pickles.

Lastly there are the Desserts! A large chapter filled with fried pies, crepes, puddings & custards, cobbler, plum pudding, steamed ginger pudding, a frozen Mardi Gras cake, pies (a Sherry pie is made with a filling of Sherry, marshmallows and whipped cream), baked Alaska, cakes & cheesecakes, cookies, fudge, divinity, pralines and a Yule log.

Chocolate Fantasies, published in 1998. Very thin book filled with 70 fabulous recipes all made with CHOCOLATE!

We begin with techniques and tips for melting, tempering and piping chocolate, then dive quickly into the recipes, beginning with Cakes & Gateaux ~ French chocolate cake, mousse cake, sachertorte, black forest cake, roulade and a white chocolate celebration cake. Hot Desserts include chocolate ravioli with a white chocolate cream cheese filling, steamed puddings and crepes.

Moving onto Tarts, Pies & Cheesecake, a few stand out dishes are a chocolate truffle tart, black bottom pie, chocolate bananas and toffee pie, while Cold Desserts include chocolate profiteroles, timbale, parfaits, bombes, ice creams & sundaes, creme pots and a pavlova.

Little Cakes are biscuits & bars, plus a few tartlets, crescents and brioche while the final chapter, Sweets & Truffles offers up fudge, chocolate dipped fruit, brittle and a truffle filled Easter egg!