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Many of us learn how to cook authentic southern foods by working along side our mothers and grandmothers in the kitchen.

Here are some of our favorite recipes and tips on putting a truly southern meal on the table...enjoy!

Apple Jacks

Ingredients:
1 lb. dried apples
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
dash of cinnamon or nutmeg

Directions:
Place all in a saucepan and cook until tender.

Use basic biscuit dough (or canned biscuits). Pinch off dough as for a biscuit. Roll out each piece, not too thin, and place apple mixture on half of dough, fold over other side and seal. Press edges with a fork. Fry in iron skillet in fat until golden brown. Turning to brown both sides. Drain on paper towel. Can sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon, if desired.

Apple-Jacks

Baked Smoked Ham

Wash and scrub ham well, using a brush if necessary to remove all outside salt. Soak ham in a large amount of water at least 15 hours, skin side up. Changing water at least once.

Pour off water and cover with fresh water and boil about 20 minutes per pound, turning ham during cooking.

Allow to cool in same water (reserve water in which greens, collards or beans may be cooked.)

Skin ham, rub with brown sugar and dry mustard. Bake at 325 degrees for about 30 minutes, basting occasionally with drippings from pan.

Baked-Smoked-Ham

Buttermilk Biscuits

Ingredients:
2 cups* Buttermilk Biscuit Mix
2/3 cup** water or milk

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425°F. Combine Buttermilk Biscuit Mix and milk or water in a bowl, mixing until just combined. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead 5-6 times. Roll dough to 1/2-inch thickness and cut out with biscuit cutter. Place on a cookie sheet. Bake 8-11 minutes or until golden brown. Makes 9 or 10 biscuits.

*Do not sift this product as it contains shortening flakes that dissolve during baking.
**One cup of buttermilk may be used instead of water or milk.

Buttermilk-Biscuits

Chicken and Pastry

Ingredients:
1 big fat hen or rooster, cut up
Water
Salt and pepper
Aktinson's Frozen Pastry Strips

Directions:
In a big pot, place a cut up chicken and cover with water. Add salt to taste. Let boil until tender and a golden fat rises to the top of the water, making a rich broth. Remove chicken and allow to cool, so the skin can be removed and the meat deboned. Place chicken back in broth. Place frozen pastry strips over the top of cooked chicken in gentle rolling broth. Allow each layer to cook 2-3 minutes and stir down in the broth with a wooden spoon before adding the next layer.

Don't add to much pastry for the amount of broth in the pot. If needed, add additional boiling water to the broth, and if the broth is not rich enough with chicken fat, add chicken bullion cubes. (It is best to have too little pastry than to have too much.) After the last layer has cooked at least 5 minutes, stir down in the broth and allow the whole pot to cook another 6-8 minutes longer. It will thicken some more when it sits awhile after removing from burner. You don't want it be too dry.

Chicken-and-Pastry

Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients:
2 cups Buttermilk Biscuit Mix
2/3 cup water
3 tbsp butter or margarine - melted
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp raisins - optional
1 cup confectioners sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
6 tsp milk

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450°F. Mix House-Autry Buttermilk Biscuit Mix and water in a bowl; stir until combined. Roll the dough into a 12-inch x 8-inch rectangle. Brush with butter or margarine. Mix sugar and cinnamon in a cup. Sprinkle about 2/3 of the mixture evenly over the margarine. Sprinkle with raisins. Starting from a long side, roll dough up tightly. Seal seams, slice roll into 1-inch pieces. Place on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with remaining cinnamon sugar. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until done. Makes approximately 12 rolls.

For Icing: Combine confectioner's sugar, vanilla extract and milk; mix well. Drizzle over rolls.

Cinnamon-Rolls