Auntie Bev’S Home-Style Cuisine: Authentic and Delicious Flavors

By Xlibris US

Why a cookbook one may ask,
and I would probably say because
everyone likes to eat! Furthermore,
if you are able to prepare your
own delicious meals at home,
that in itself would be a great
accomplishment and one that
deserves an applause!
Well, what better place to start
honing your cooking skills than
with Auntie Bev s Home-Style
Cuisine! In this cookbook I have
shared a number of delicious meal
ideas including some of my very
own family favorites. Whether you
are an inexperienced cook or a
longtime veteran in culinary art,
you are bound to fi nd something
that is so irresistible that you will
want to make it your favorite goto
recipe.
We are what we eat and we all
want to be healthy! So in addition
to presenting some delicious
mouthwatering meal ideas, I have
also included in this book a variety
of health ideas on how to strive for
and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Happy cooking, enjoy your meals
and thank you for purchasing my
book.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Jun 23, 2014
• ISBN: 9781493186631

Book preview

AUNTIE BEV’S HOME-STYLE

CUISINE

Authentic and Delicious Flavors

Beverley D. Thomas-Smith

Copyright © 2014 by Beverley D. Thomas-Smith.

Photos by Dwayne O. Smith

Library of Congress Control Number:   2014905426

ISBN:   Hardcover   978-1-4931-8664-8

            Softcover      978-1-4931-8665-5

            eBoo            978-1-4931-8663-1

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Rev. date: 06/19/2014

To order additional copies of this book, contact:

Xlibris LLC

1-888-795-4274

www.Xlibris.com

[e-mail]

541067

Contents

>>>>OO<<<<

Dedication

Acknowledgments

Introduction

This and That

Breakfast Ideas

Lunch Ideas

Snacks

Beverages

Salads

Side Dishes

Soups

Meats

Poultry

Seafood

Cookies and Breads

Cakes

Frostings and Glazes

Safe Cooking Temperatures (ºF)

Safe Food Storage Times

Equivalent Measures

Food Safety and Storage Guide

Wellness Tips for a Healthy Lifestyle

References

Recipe Notes

Birth Dates, Anniversaries,

and Special Occasions

End Notes

>>>>OO<<<<

DEDICATION

To Dwayne, my son, for the inspiration and encouragement.

Love always!

Mom

>>>>OO<<<<

Acknowledgments

>>>>OO<<<<

First and foremost, I would like to thank my son, Dwayne Smith, for the inspiration to write and publish this cookbook, for his constant support and encouragement, and for believing in me. Dwayne was also always eager to taste, critique, and offer his friends yet another one of the many dishes that I would prepare. Not to mention the fact that he was always prepared to take pictures of the various dishes!

I would also like to thank my husband, Trevor Smith, for his support and understanding while I stayed up late at nights to write this book. Trevor also often played the role of the guinea pig in taste testing! Thank you, Trevor! Thanks must also go to my family members, who are too many to mention here individually, for their support and encouragement, and for playing the vital role of tasting and critiquing.

My sincere gratitude also goes to my acquaintances and coworkers, who of course are too many to give individual credit for their constant compliments about my dishes that they have eaten and enjoyed. My profound thanks must also go to the wonderful team at Xlibris for their fantastic guidance, resourcefulness, and the excellent job of making my book ready for the marketplace.

Credit must also be given to the following companies for the mention of their brand-name items in this cookbook:

Thanks to everyone whose lives I may have touched in any way, irrespective of how small! Thanks to you for purchasing this book. I do appreciate everyone’s involvement, words of kindness, encouragement, and support.

Sincerely,

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Introduction

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Hello and welcome to Auntie Bev’s Home-Style Cuisine! Come join my family, and let us cook together! I hope you are hungry, because we are going to be cooking some delicious, finger-licking goodies! Cooking has always been my passion! Quite simply put, it is my pleasure to cook, feed everyone, and make everybody happy. Furthermore, I just love it when the delicious smells are circulated throughout the house!

In my native humble beginning, in the island of Jamaica, tradition and family values are as important as they are anywhere else in the world. Farming is done on a large-scale basis in all the parishes, except Kingston, and housewives prepare the best foods available to them in the best way that they can. They draw from traditional cooking secrets and know-how that have been handed down to them from generation to generation; they apply their own experiences that have been harvested over time and, of course, those that they gleaned from sharing ideas among one another. Mealtimes are special! Not only because the meals are plentiful and deliciously prepared, but also because mealtimes are memorable for stories of the past, present, and even predictions about future generations!

The foods that we shared in the past are the same ones that are available today with just a few new comers to the scene! For example, we still have avocados with pits, eggs are still available in shells, and they have yolks and whites (although eggs are also available in other forms), and chicken still have feathers! Some things just remain the same, don’t they? In the meantime, however, we do have a number of new cooking techniques, trends, tools, and equipment that are readily available to the cooks of today!

With that said, every cook needs to have a collection of recipes that he or she can rely on. This book will endeavor to support that need. You’ll find a variation of main-course dishes, meat dishes, seafood dishes, snacks, salads, vegetable dishes, poultry, cakes, cookies, breakfast specials, and much, much more. You are bound to find something that you’ll like and even more so, something that will eventually become your favorite!

The recipes are simple and straightforward. Even the most inexperienced cook will be able to follow the instructions and have favorable outcomes. For the inexperienced cook, the more you cook and experiment with these recipes, the more confident you’ll become. In time, you’ll be able to alter the recipes, add your own twist or ideas, and subsequently develop your own personal cooking style and secret recipe specials! You may even make smaller portions to suit your specific needs!

Serving elegant and delicious meals does not have to be expensive. The ingredients that are available at the local grocery stores are perfectly adequate for simple yet elegant and delicious meals. Only buy and stock the things that you will most likely use to prepare your meals. Check regularly for expiration dates and move the items that will expire soon to the front of the cabinet and/or refrigerator so they’ll get used prior to expiration. This will eliminate the need to waste anything! Isn’t that fair?

Remember, recipes are only ideas that guide you into creating something special, but by themselves, they are useless. In order for any cook to succeed in executing any recipe, the right tools and equipment must be essential components of the kitchen. Invest in some good-quality kitchen tools and equipment. You’ll be rewarded in the long run! Good quality does not have to be overly expensive. Shop around; you’ll be surprised to see what you’ll find… bargains are always available!

The recipes that follow were carefully chosen and tested to ensure that they will be satisfying and flavorful to your taste buds. Of course, I also added some of my own family favorites after painstakingly translating them into clearly defined recipes so as to share them with you! Some of the recipes will be short and quick while others will be longer and a little bit more time consuming, only because I needed them to be clearly defined and easily followed. Nevertheless, they are all worth trying to experience their deliciousness! Now, why don’t I stop talking and get started with the cooking! Let’s go cook!

Lots of food with lots of love,

B. Thomas-Smith

Auntie Bev

>>>>OO<<<<

THIS AND THAT

Creamy Homemade Mayonnaise

Homemade Whipped Cream

Homemade Bread Crumbs

Quick Tomato Sauce

Split Peas Paste

Mango Chutney Made Simple

Creamy Swiss Cheese Spread

Homemade Herb-roasted Croutons

Simple Potato Sauce

Tartar Sauce Made Easy

Special Blend Seasoning

Delicious Brown Gravy

Homemade Applesauce

Creamy Homemade Mayonnaise

I don’t know about you, but sometimes I find that I am in the middle of making something when oops! There is no mayonnaise in the refrigerator! Don’t panic, some can be whipped up very quickly! Here goes the recipe for a simple homemade version.

Makes about 2 cups:

2 egg yolks

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon powdered mustard

¼ teaspoon granulated sugar

¼ teaspoon white pepper

4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon white vinegar

1 ½ cups olive oil

4 teaspoons hot water

In a small mixing bowl, add the yolks, salt, mustard, sugar, pepper, and 1 teaspoon lemon juice. With an electric mixer on medium speed, combine the ingredients until you get a thick, pale yellow consistency.

Add about ¼ cup oil, a little at a time, beating at a steady pace at all times. Add another teaspoon lemon juice and 1 teaspoon hot water, and continue to beat. Add ¼ cup oil, little by little, and continue to beat. Add another teaspoon of lemon juice and another teaspoon of hot water, and continue to beat.

Add ½ cup oil in a smooth and steady flow, beating constantly. Add the remaining lemon juice, vinegar, and hot water, and slowly beat in the remainder of the oil. The mixture should have a smooth and rich texture. Cover and refrigerate until ready for use. Do not keep for more than one week. After two weeks, any leftovers that you may have must be discarded.

Homemade Whipped Cream

Whipped cream is needed every once in a while, but sometimes it is just not readily available. But what do you know… you can always make some yourself! Here goes.

Servings 8-10:

1 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon confectioner’s sugar

½ teaspoon almond extract

Place the cream, sugar, and almond extract in a medium bowl and combine. Use an electric mixer at medium speed to combine the ingredients until smooth and stiff.

Spoon out the whipped cream into a large bowl, cover, and refrigerate until ready for use.

Homemade Bread Crumbs

Bread crumbs are easily made and can be made as needed. However, only make an amount that will be used up. Do not use leftover bread crumbs when they are freshly made. Also, use the bread of your choice (such as white or whole wheat), to get your desired flavor.

Makes about 6 cups:

1 (1-pound) loaf sliced bread

Cut each slice of bread into half. Place about 4 or 6 half slices into the food processor and process into fine crumbs. Repeat the process until you have a desired amount of bread crumbs. Place the crumbs into a bowl and set aside until ready for use.

Quick Tomato Sauce

This is really quick, as the name suggests. You’ll have this sauce ready in no time! Use it on seafood, pasta, or as desired.

Makes about 2-2½ cups:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion (diced)

3 cloves garlic (minced)

8 well-ripe plum tomatoes (diced)

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

½ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley

Add the olive oil to the large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic to the saucepan and stir. Cook the onion mixture for about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, vinegar, salt, and parsley, and stir well. Reduce the heat and simmer (uncovered) for another 3 minutes or until the sauce reaches a desired consistency. Stir the sauce occasionally to prevent scorching.

Cool the sauce completely and transfer to a desired container until ready for use. Serve as needed.

Split Peas Paste

Split peas paste is an excellent source for enhancing the texture of your soups, if you desire thick, smooth soups. Simply cook the split peas to the fullest, cooled, bagged, and freeze for future use. Split peas paste may be stored for long periods.

Makes as many bags as you wish:

2 packs yellow split peas

3 quarts water

1 teaspoon salt (optional)

Small ziplock bags

Place the split peas, water, and salt in a large pot over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Stir to prevent the peas from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Bring to a rapid boil, then reduce the heat and continue to cook until the peas are fully cooked and crushed, and the texture becomes thick. Reduce the liquid to desired consistency. Cool completely and spoon into ziplock bags (as many bags as you wish), freeze, and use as needed.

Mango Chutney Made Simple

Store this mango chutney in airtight jars in the refrigerator, and it’ll last for a long time!

Makes about 3-4 small jars:

3 medium ripe mangos (ripe but firm) (peeled, pitted and cubed)

2 large onions (chopped)

2 cloves garlic (minced)

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

¼ pound fresh ginger (peeled and finely minced)

2 tablespoons red pepper flakes

½ cup pineapple juice

1 cup red bell pepper (deseeded and chopped)

1 cup green bell pepper (deseeded and chopped)

½ cup brown sugar

3 tablespoons vinegar

1 teaspoon