Off the Eaten Path: Favorite Southern Dives and 150 Recipes that Made Them Famous

Reading Southern Living’s Off the Eaten Path: Favorite Southern Dives and 150 Recipes that Made Them Famous is like taking the road trip that you always wanted to take, crossing through big and small towns looking for Americana and good eats. The book features descriptions of favorite Southern diners and dives that are well known in their local communities for having great food, and the book contains the recipes for some of their most popular dishes so you can recreate them at home.

When I say that reading the book is like taking a road trip, I’m not kidding. The book is literally packed with colorful photos of dining rooms, small towns, retro signs, happy people and – of course – great food. They’re vibrant and very well arranged, and give you a strong sense of place that you otherwise wouldn’t get just from reading about these places in a book. A typical diner description will tell you what items the diner is famous for and what has made them a favorite with customers. The address is included, but so are the GPS coordinates which will definitely come in handy if you decide to use this book as a guide when you really are taking a road trip! In addition to the info on the diners, there are plenty of asides that tell you about different roadside attractions and curiosities.

The recipes run from breakfast foods to main courses to desserts, giving you a sampling of many different types of diner classics. Some, like a Chocolate Banana Milkshake, are treats that you could find at one of your own local haunts. Others, such as the Snapper Patrick (snapper rolls stuffed with crab meat) from Pat’s Fisherman’s Wharf in Henderson, Louisiana, are local specialties that are made with local ingredients. After taking a virtual road trip with the book’s photos, the recipes start to sound even more tempting than they would on their own. Fortunately, the recipes are easy to make and will leave you with lots of delicious diner-inspired meal options to make without leaving your kitchen.

Tags: cookbooks

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Hassle-Free Holiday Baking: 6 Easy Days to Perfect Christmas Cookies

Like many people, I love the idea of making a large assortment of Christmas cookies during the holidays, but I find it difficult to find the time to get it done. As a working mother, cookbook author and webmaster of Christmas-Cookies.com ( http://www.christmas-cookies.com ), I am a very busy woman, but baking Christmas cookies every year is a must. Over the past few years, out of frustration and necessity, I have developed a system for organizing my Christmas baking. This system allows me to make a large variety of holiday treats without taking too much time out of my busy schedule. By dividing the tasks up into 6 days, I can spend a couple hours each day getting this done, and on the 7th day, relax and enjoy giving and eating some delicious Christmas cookies. After all, God rested on the 7th day! You don't even have to do this on 6 consecutive days. Most of the steps can be done days and even weeks in advance, giving you a great head start on your holidays.

Day 1

Search your books, recipe cards, and favorite Web sites and decide what recipes to make this year. I usually mix my traditional family recipes with a few new recipes for variety. 6 to 12 different recipes makes a nice assortment, depending on how many people you have to feed and how much time you have to spend baking. Write down the name of each recipe on a piece of paper, as well as the source of the recipe so that you can look it up later, such as the Web site URL or page number in a cookbook. Print out the recipes that you find online, and set aside the books or recipe cards you'll need so that you can access them easily on Day 2. Things you may want to consider when making your selection are:

-difficulty of the recipe if you are a novice cook or will be baking with children,

-cost of special ingredients such as chocolate or nuts, if you are on a budget,

-whether the cookies keep well or can they be frozen, if you'd like to do your baking ahead of time.

Day 2

Consulting your list of recipes, create your shopping list. Calculate roughly how much of each ingredient you'll need in total by adding up cups of butter, number of eggs, and other common ingredients. Include in your list:

-All of the ingredients for the cookies. Check what you have at home for freshness. Nuts and shortening will go rancid after a few months, and baking powder and baking soda lose their effectiveness, so keep this in mind: out with the old, in with the new! Fresh ingredients are the key to good tasting cookies.

-Any baking tools you may need. Consider replacing old worn out tools or adding a new tool to your collection each year.

-Anything you may need for decorating such as food coloring, colored sugars and jimmies, or pastry bags for piping frosting.

-Containers like plastic tubs, cookie tins, or even cardboard boxes to store your cookies in. Make sure you have containers that are large enough to hold a complete batch of each cookie (look at the yield of your recipe if you're not sure). If you plan to parcel them out for gift-giving, make sure you have enough containers for each recipient.

-Organize your shopping list according to store, such as: grocery store, kitchen or home store, cake decorating supply store, etc.

Day 3

Go shopping! Lay out your plan of action so that you go to the grocery store last of all, so that you can take your refrigerated ingredients home as soon as possible. Of course, if you live in a very cold climate, this is not too much of a worry. When you get home, wash your new baking tools and put all the non-perishable ingredients in one place so that you can easily get them out on Day 4. At my house, I have a designated baking cupboard that gives me easy access to everything I need on days I decide to bake. You can do Day 3 weeks before you plan to bake as long as you:

-Freeze your butter or shortening, and

-buy the perishables such as eggs and cream cheese just before you plan to bake.

Day 4

Today you will just make the dough for your cookies, but you will not actually bake them! Most cookie doughs can safely be refrigerated for days or frozen for weeks before you need to make the cookies. The reason for doing it this way is because when making several different kinds of cookies at the same time, it's very efficient to make all your dough at once while you have all your ingredients and baking tools at hand. If you do have a particular recipe that can't be frozen, identify it and plan to make it on Day 5.

Remember to bring refrigerated items like butter, eggs, and cream cheese to room temperature before you start to assemble your recipes. Take them out of the refrigerator at least a couple hours before you plan to bake.

To make this process even easier, I've developed a system for making dough assembly-line style, which you can read more about in my article about the Cookie Assembly Line ( http://www.christmascookiesareforgiving.com/assembly.php ). Wrap each ball of dough in plastic wrap, identify it by writing the name of the recipe on the plastic wrap with a felt-tip marker, and refrigerate it or freeze it. If it is a slice-and-bake refrigerator cookie, form it into a log instead of a ball, according to the directions in your recipe. Make sure to keep your recipes in a handy place so that you don't have to search for them on Day 5.

Day 5

Today is baking day! Check your recipe: if you have to work with dough at room temperature (as recommended for most cookie press cookies) then take your dough out ahead of time and let it warm up to room temperature before you begin forming the cookies. If you have frozen your dough, allow it to thaw in the plastic wrap and only remove the plastic wrap once it has reached the desired temperature. If you remove the plastic while it is still frozen, then condensation will form on the dough and that will add too much moisture.

Start with the recipes that call for the lowest oven temperature and pre-heat your oven to that temperature. Remove dough from the refrigerator, line your baking sheets with parchment paper (no greasing!) and prepare the dough for baking as called for in your recipe. You may have to roll out the dough and cut it with cookie cutters, or fill it with some kind of filling, or place it in a special pan like a mini-muffin pan or a Madeleine mold, or simply slice and bake the rolls you made on Day 4. Once all the cookies that are baked at the lowest temperature are completed, raise your oven temperature to the next highest to bake those cookies, and so on.

Even if you have some of the handy stackable cooling racks, you will surely run out of space to cool several batches of cookies. Placing a double-thickness of aluminum foil on your countertop is a good substitute for a cooling rack when you run out of space. Once your cookies are completely cooled to room temperature, line your containers with waxed paper and place your cookies in the containers one layer at a time, with another sheet of waxed paper in between each layer. Then return the containers to the refrigerator if they will not be eaten for a day or two, or you can leave them out at room temperature until the next day. If they won't be eaten or shipped for several days, you can wrap the entire container in plastic wrap and freeze your cookies for up to 2 weeks. You can freeze them for longer than this if you wrap the cookies in small stacks of 5 or 6 before placing them in their containers. Defrost the cookies at room temperature, leaving them wrapped until they are thoroughly defrosted.

Many of your recipes may be completed at this point if they don't require decorating.

Day 6

Day 6 is decorating day. For many of us, this is the most enjoyable step in the cookie-baking process. Decorating should always be done no more than 2 days before the cookies will be eaten, ideally the day or even the morning before. Now you will make your various frostings and icings, or prepare your melted chocolate for drizzling, or dust with powdered sugar to decorate your cookies as directed. If your cookies are not to be eaten immediately, make sure that the icing or melted chocolate has thoroughly set and hardened--a process that may take several hours--before stacking the cookies back in their containers, again separating the layers with sheets of waxed paper. Cookies that have been frosted with a buttercream-type frosting cannot be stacked. They should be stored in a single layer with a loose covering of plastic wrap.

Day 7

Relax and enjoy your holiday, because your Christmas baking is done!

Copyright 2004 Mimi Cummins. All Rights Reserved.

Mimi Cummins is co-author of the book "Christmas Cookies Are for Giving: Recipes, Stories, and Tips for Making Heartwarming Gifts." This book, "enthusiastically recommended" by Midwest Book Review, is full of baking tips and hints, including nearly 50 recipes each with a full-color photo. For more information visit [http://www.christmascookiesareforgiving.com/] or order from your favorite online bookstore.

http://www.christmas-cookies.com

Baking Soda Beauty Tips

Baking soda is a versatile and natural substance that is made from sodium carbonate, soda ash, or sodium bicarbonate. It is a known fact that baking soda has numerous uses including baking, deodorizing, everyday cleaning, and best of all beauty.

Many beauty products can be created in the convenience of your own home using a box of affordable baking soda and a few other ingredients. Below are ten beauty products that you can easily make using baking soda.

1. Relaxing bath: To create a relaxing bath, add ½ cup of baking soda to your bath water. This will leave your skin feeling refreshed and smooth.

2. Foot care: To give your feet a treat, mix 3 tablespoons of baking soda in a tub or basin of warm water. Soak your feet for desired amount of time. Then, create a paste of baking soda and water and gently scrub your feet with it. Your feet will thank you for this!

3. Clean brushes and combs: To clean brushes and combs by removing natural build up of oil and hair product residue, soak combs and brushes in a solution of 1 teaspoon of baking soda in a small tub or basin of warm water. Rinse combs and brushes thoroughly and allow them to dry before use.

4. Skin exfoliant: To create a gentle skin exfoliant, create a paste of 3 parts baking soda to 1 part water. Rub the mixture in a gentle circular motion to exfoliate your face and/or body. Rinse baking soda off with warm water.

5. Hair care: For beautiful, shiny, and more manageable hair, sprinkle a quarter-size of baking soda into the palm of your hand and mix it with your favorite shampoo. Shampoo your hair as normal and rinse thoroughly. The baking soda and shampoo mixture will help remove product residue allowing your hair to be cleaner.

6. Whiter teeth: For whiter teeth, brush your teeth with baking soda. Rinse out your mouth with water when finished.

7. Baking soda bath oil (for 1 bath): To create a soothing bath oil, you will need 4 tablespoons of baking soda, 8 fluid ounces of honey, 16 fluid ounces of milk, 16 tablespoons of sea or cooking salt, and 4 fluid ounces of baby oil.

In a large bowl, mix the baking soda, honey, milk, and salt; stir well. Pour the mixture in a bath of warm water and add the baby oil. Use your hands to stir the mixture with the water and step into your soothing bath.

8. Rough skin: To smooth rough skin on your elbows, knees, and other areas, make a paste of baking soda and water and rub on skin. Rinse away paste with warm water.

9. Nail care: To soften your cuticles and clean your nails, apply baking soda to your cuticle brush. Now, scrub your nails and cuticles for great looking nails.

10. Dry shampoo: Running late and don't have time to shampoo? Mix 1 part baking soda, 1 part baby powder, and 3 drops essential oil. Apply the mixture to the roots of your hair, including bangs, and comb through. This mixture will absorb excess oils and freshen up your hair.

Grab your box of baking soda and start creating your own spa-like beauty products today!

Lesley Dietschy is a freelance writer and the founder of http://www.HomeDecorExchange.com - The Home Decor Exchange is a valuable website full of information and resources about home and garden decorating.

In addition to editing the Home Decor Exchange website, Lesley is a crochet pattern designer and needle fiber artist. You can view her crochet patterns and needle fiber designs at: http://www.ErinOliviaDesigns.Etsy.com

Even Your Kids Can Use A Silpat Baking Mat

Teaching your children how to cook and bake is one of the most important lessons that you can pass on. When you have a kitchen that is outfitted with silicone bakeware and the Silpat baking mat, the job is even easier. Silpat baking mats allow your children to successfully create baked goods without sticking or even greasing the pans and cookie sheets.

Children learn how to bake by watching their parents. Bring the kids into the kitchen with you the next time you plan to make some wonderful baked goodies. This is a wonderful chance to teach your children how to bake while spending some fun time in the kitchen. Not only will you be giving your children some useful tips on how to bake, but you will also be creating some special memories as well.

The Silpat baking mat allows you to bake on a regular cookie sheet or pan without greasing or flouring. In fact, you can get all the benefits of silicone without using a silicone pan. The heat is distributed evenly when a baking mat is used and the cookies and baked goods slide right out of the pan.

While the Silpat baking mat heats up quickly in the oven, it cools down just as fast outside of the oven. Of course, the baking sheet and pan will still be hot, but you can reduce the heat absorbed into the pan when you use a silicone baking mat. It is a great lesson to teach your children about how different baking materials affect the outcome of your cooked foods.

Removing the baked goods from a pan with a Silpat baking mat is simply a matter of sliding the foods off. It is so simple that your children will be able to do it with ease. Using silicone bakeware is also easy for children to remove the final product from the pan. Show them the twist and slide motion that will expel the food from the pan all in one neat clean motion.

The latest technology in bakeware makes baking so easy that you will spend more time enjoying the foods that you create than you will cleaning up the mess. Cleaning a pan after using a Silpat baking mat is as easy as wiping down the pan with a damp cloth. The mat should not be scoured, but there is no need as the baked goods generally come off in one piece.

Spend some time in the kitchen with your children creating delicious baked goods. Bake dozens of cookies without greasing a single pan. The next time your child needs a few dozen cookies for a party at school, put them to work with you. It is a great lesson that your children will carry with them for the rest of their lives.

Get your free report and information on the Secrets of Silicone Baking at http://www.bakewaresilicone.com

Baking Soda for Cleaning

Baking soda is a common, inexpensive household item that can be used for many kinds of cleaning projects. In an era when we are all exposed to many toxic chemicals, it's nice to know that something so mild can be effective. We actually make a form of baking soda in our own saliva, where it helps keep plaque from forming!

Here are some of the uses of baking soda for cleaning:

I've long used baking soda and white vinegar to keep my kitchen and bathroom drains clear and fresh smelling. I just put a teaspoon or less of baking soda into the drain and then pour in about a tablespoon of vinegar. I must admit that I am the kind of cook who rarely measures anything, and the same is true for these proportions, so feel free to experiment to find what works best in your sinks. Start small, though -- the combination of baking soda and vinegar causes an active fizzling and bubbling!

In fact, that bubbling process is how you can tell if the box of baking soda you've had around forever is still good. Just follow the directions above. Your soda is still good if it bubbles away merrily.

Speaking of drains, if your drain is clogged, you can try using a lot more baking soda. One recipe is to pour a cup of baking soda down the drain, then a cup of vinegar. Wait a few minutes, or longer, and then run the hot water tap and see if you have cleared the drain. It could take overnight.

Another well-known use of baking soda is to keep an open box in the refrigerator to neutralize odors. Because baking soda cuts smells, it can also be put in the bottom tray of an oven-type electric toaster, to reduce burnt smells. Another smell-removing cleaning tip is to put baking soda into bottles or jars that milk has left a smell in.

Baking soda is an abrasive, milder than commercial cleansers. For scrubbing out the sink, bathtub, or shower stall, for getting gunk off the outside of my toaster, and projects of that sort, I find it very useful. Using a rag or sponge, pour some baking soda onto it and then add a little water, just enough to form a paste. Then scrub! You can also mix up the paste in a small cup or bowl and then throw out what you haven't used by the end of that cleaning session. I keep a small container of baking soda handy by the sink, in a closed jar so that the baking soda doesn't cake. You can also use a salt shaker, as you will probably go through that much baking soda before it gets caked up.

Pots and pans that have something burned on the bottom call for sterner measures. I admit that sometimes I just reach for my rarely-used commercial cleanser, but the baking soda cleaning method is to shake baking soda all over the burned stuff and then let the pot sit overnight. You can also add a little water and baking soda to the pot, bring it to a boil, and then let it sit.

For stained marble, a paste of baking soda and white vinegar can be effective. For washing windows, put some baking soda on a wet rag or sponge.

Baking soda also has a variety of uses in keeping your body clean too. But enough! This article is about baking soda for cleaning around the house.

Rosana Hart has been using baking soda in cleaning houses for years. She tells you more about cleaning houses and offices, and how to do it for a living, at her website, http://infoandhelp.com.

Creativity - What Most Baked Recipes Need

Baking is a cooking technique in a microwave or oven. Listed below are some popular baked recipes:

Sweet Baked Pecans

Ingredients

o 1tbsp water

o 1white egg

o 1 pound of pecan halves

o 1 cup of white sugar

o ¾ tsp of salt

o ½ tsp of ground cinnamon

Directions

o Preheat the oven to 250oF

o Grease one piece of baking sheet

o In a large mixing bowl, beat together water and white egg until it becomes frothy

o In other mixing bowl, mix together salt, sugar and cinnamon

o Add the pecans onto white egg and mix to coat the nuts.

o Remove the nuts in the mixing bowl and toss them into the sugar mixture until it becomes coated.

o Spread the nuts on the prepared baking sheet.

o Bake at 250oF for 1 hour and stir every 15 minutes

o Serve in a colorful dish or bowl, for your family or friends

Baked Cinnamon Apples

Ingredients

o 4 to 6 apples

o 2 tablespoon of brown sugar

o Aluminum foil

o 1 package of cinnamon red hot candy

Directions

o Preheat the oven to 350oF, then measure your brown sugar in a large bowl

o Separate 4 to 6 pieces of foil

o Place each apple onto a separate foil and place about 1 tablespoon of candy around each apple sprinkle with several brown sugar on each apple

o Fold all the sides of foil up around each apple and place it in a baking dish.

o Bake it for about 15 to 30 minutes

Eggplants Baked with Mushrooms

Ingredients

o 14 oz champignons ( frozen or fresh)

o 17.05 oz eggplants

o 1 cup of sour cream

o 1 onion

o Salt for taste

o Vegetable oil

Directions

o Cut the eggplants into cubes

o Add salt onto the cubed eggplants and leave it for about 30 minutes

o Wash the cube eggplants in cold water and drain it

o Slice the onion into cubes

o Cut the mushrooms into strips

o Sauté the sliced onion in vegetable oil

o Add the eggplants and sauté it for 5 up to 7 minutes

o Add salt, mushroom and sauté it for another 5 to 7 minutes

o Place the eggplants with mushrooms onto the baking pan for baking

o Add the sour cream and bake it at 350oF for about 25 to 30 minutes

Baked Bananas

Ingredients

o 3 tbsp of melted butter

o 4 tbsp of lemon juice

o 5 tbsp of sugar

o Bananas

o Grated lemon rind

Directions

o Cut the bananas lengthwise and place it in a baking dish

o Pour the lemon juice over the lengthwise bananas

o Sprinkle some grated lemon rind over the bananas

o Drizzle some melted butter over the bananas

o Bake it until the fruit turns red

Baked Fish Fillet

Ingredients

o 1 ½ white fish fillets

o Cooking spray

o 1tbsp fresh lime juice

o 1tbsp light mayonnaise

o 1/8 tsp black pepper

o 1/8 onion powder

o ½ cup of fresh bread crumbs

o 1 ½ tsp butter

o 2 tsp of chopped fresh parsley

Directions

o Put the fish in a baking dish coated with cooking spray

o Combine mayonnaise, pepper, onion powder and lime juice in a small mixing bowl

o Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and butter

o Bake it at 425oF for about 20 minutes or until the fish flakes are ready

For more information on Baked Food Recipes and Italian Food Recipes please visit our website.

Baking Soda Cures For Sweating

There are TONS of baking soda cures out there. Baking soda is used for everything. It puts out fires, it cleans your teeth, it cleans dishes, it cleans clothes, it gets rid of smells and yes... it even discourages sweating!

Here's my quick, disclaimer for those of you out there with severe hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating). Baking soda is not some magical cure-all. However, when used properly, you'll TOTALLY feel a difference. I'm going to give you a couple of baking soda cures for sweating that you'll definitely find useful.

First, let me just really quickly explain why baking soda helps eliminate sweating so effectively...

WHY IT WORKS - Baking soda is an alkaline and your body's sweat is an acid. When the two combine, gas is formed, causing the instant evaporation of the sweat.

So, it's not that baking soda blocks the sweat from escaping your pores. Instead, it conditions your skin to quickly dry up as soon as the sweating begins.

When you apply the baking soda cures for sweating below, it's the residue of the baking soda on the skin that conditions the dryness. The treatments work way better if you apply them consecutively for days on end so be consistent about it.

Baking Soda for Hand Sweating:

1. You'll want to fill up a big bowl or two separate aluminum pie pans with warm/hot water and equal parts baking soda. The solution should be very cloudy. The baking soda will gather at the bottom, so be sure to mix it up very thoroughly.

2. Soak your hands for 25 minutes in the solution. It's important that the water is warm or hot so your pores really open up. You want the baking soda to penetrate your skin. During that time, intermittenly grab the clumps of baking soda at the bottom of the pan or bowl and rub your hands together to really saturate them in the solution.

3. After the 25 minutes are up, your hands will be a little pruney - this is totally normal. Just dry them off with a towel. Don't wash them off with soap and water if possible. You want to retain the residue of baking soda on your skin. Some people say they have a light powerdy look to the skin after drying them off. The more residue of the solution, the better your results will be.

Here's what you should expect from the treatment above...

Your hands will definitely feel dry the first 30 minutes after treatment and results should last at least a couple of hours following. If you use this remedy consecutively for 5 days straight, the results can last up to 5 or 6 hours on end.

It's normal for the skin to feel a tiny bit rubbery directly after treatment. You'll see what I mean when you try it. Anyway, the goal is to keep them dry, so I'm sure that small side effect won't bother you.

This cure for hand sweating works best for people with less severe cases of hyperhidrosis although EVERYONE will find some benefit.

If you're about to go on a date or have an intimate night planned with your significant other, this treatment makes an awesome quick fix.

This next treatment I recommend for ANYONE. It's well worth trying out.

Baking soda is well known for its odor eliminating effects. That's because it neutralizes acids and odor causing bacteria in the body. This makes it a perfect bath additive to really give you a wonderful, fresh and dry feeling right out of the tub.

Let me tell you, I never used to take baths in my adult life. I was always a shower kinda guy. Besides, who has the time for a bath?

Well, speaking from a very positive experience using the following treatment, you NEED to make time for a "Baking Soda Bath Blast" at least once a week.

Since implementing this tactic, my overall body sweating halted drastically.

Have you ever taken a shower and started sweating the moment you got out and began drying off? It's terribly frustrating, right?

Well, you'll never have that happen to you with a "Baking Soda Bath Blast". The treatment will keep you super dry from the moment you step out of the tub. I love it! Plus, baths are just a relaxing experience overall. Here's how it goes...

The Baking Soda Bath Blast:

1. This treatment works best if you schedule it AFTER a shower. This way you get clean with soap and water first, then you'll just soak your already clean body in the baking soda solution without needing to wash it off with soap.

2. While you're in the shower, use a loofah (dry sponge) to exfoliate your skin. Exfoliate your hands, feet, armpits or anywhere else you sweat profusely from. You're going to do this to allow the baking soda to penetrate your pores more efficiently. Next, you'll be taking the bath.

3. Fill a bath with warm water (not exceptionally hot) and add 1/2 - 1 cup of baking soda to the tub.

4. Soak for 15 - 20 minutes and make sure to grab any clumps of baking soda gathered at the bottom of the tub, rubbing it into your armpits, hands, feet, chest or back.

Give these two treatments a fair shot. That means at least 5 consecutive days of trying this out. You'll body will need to acclimate itself to the baking soda before feeling the best results.

Want More Excessive Sweating Tips?

I've got an entire FREE 30 minute video for you at http://www.Prevent-Sweating.com that outlines my 12 Favorite excessive sweating treatments.

They're all strategies you can start implementing at home after watching the video and you'll feel the results in just minutes. What are you waiting for? Don't spend another minute sweating it out. You don't have to spend every moment of every day melting away with this problem. Got to http://www.Prevent-Sweating.com and watch the FREE Step by Step, Sweat Tactics video instantly!