Southern-Style Grits

Nothing like a nice bowl of homemade grits on a Sunday morning...
Fully rested, and after a nice conversation with my dad and little sister, I made my way into the kitchen to make Dane a cup of coffee. As a little girl, and I know this might sound gross to some of you, I would salivate as I passed a Waffle House or a small diner just from thinking about their grits! Being that my family would eat out only once in a very long while, I was always craving the strangest things--and usually foods that are just "fillers" for the main course. Although my mother is an amazing cook, even at that tender little age, I knew I wanted to taste and experience all the other foods that were not on our home menu, which was generally Southern Vietnamese dishes and a combination of other Asian influences. Whereas Vietnamese food is generally a light fare, Southern food was rich, creamy, and comforting. Not the healthiest of options, but I think I can honestly say that this simple dish, grits, was what started my love for Southern food!

If you look at the back of a box of quick (not instant) grits, cooking time is only 5-6 minutes. Not so in the case of Southern grits. You must cook them for at least a half hour before they are the perfect creamy consistency you'd find at a breakfast eatery in the South.

Southern-Style Grits:

2 3/4 c. water
1/2 c. soy creamer (next time, I will use use unsweetened milk and up the amount)
1 t. sea salt
1 c. quick grits (not instant)
2-3 T. Earth Balance margarine

In a small pot, bring water, creamer, and salt to a boil.
Slowly stir in the grits until well mixed.
Cover with a lid and turn the heat down to low.
Let cook for 30 minutes, checking 10 minutes before finished, stir, and add a little more water if the grits are too thick.
When the grits look like a stiff cream of wheat, add the butter and serve immediately.

Chicken 'n Dumplings & Southern-Style Lima Beans

A tasty Southern comfort dish turned Vegan...
This recipe was the result of a bit of recipe researching. I have used a lot of vegan recipes, but I'm usually not satisfied with the way certain dishes turn out after the recipe has been veganized--I tend to tweak it every time. I have learned to experiment with animal-free products quite well. The biggest mistake people make when converting recipes is assuming that a 1:1 ratio on ingredients will suffice. This is usually NOT the case--other additions must be made to retain a pleasant consistency.
Tonight's dinner was an experimentation on how close to authentic I could make one of my childhood favorites. Using poultry seasoning is the secret to its success!

Chicken 'n Dumplings:

Soup:
8 c. water
4 t. vegan chicken base (adjust to to taste, all brands are different)
1/2 t. poultry seasoning
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/4 t. black pepper
dash of cayenne (optional)
1 celery rib, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and shredded
1 tsp. non-hydrogenated margarine
5-6 strips of vegan chicken strips, diced (optional)

Dumplings:
3 c. unbleached flour -or- 1/2 c. King Arthur's white wheat flour plus 2 1/2 c. unbleached flour
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. poultry seasoning
1/3 t. salt
1/2 c. non-hydrogenated margarine -or- 1/4 c. plus 1/8 c. smart balance light and 1/8 cup vegetable shortening
1 Ener-G egg replacer
1 c. vegan chicken broth (reserved from the total amount of liquid above)

In a large pot on medium heat, melt the margarine, add in the onions and celery and saute until soft. Add water and vegan chicken base and turn up the heat to medium-high. Stir to mix well, scoop out a cup of broth for the dumplings (try to avoid the celery and onion bits) and set aside to cool. Add the carrots to the broth and bring the heat down to a simmer and cover while preparing dumplings.
For the dumplings:
Mix together all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Rub the margarine/shortening into the flour mix until it resembles coarse crumbs. Thoroughly stir in the "egg" and the vegan chicken broth. Once combined, turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead briefly, until smooth. Add more flour if needed to make the right consistency for a dough. Roll out the dough to 1/8" inch-thick. Cut into strips about 1" x 1" in size.
Uncover the broth pot and bring to a boil. Drop dumplings in a few at a time, occasionally stirring so that none stick to the bottom. Add diced chicken strips now, if using. Simmer down for about 30-45 minutes. Soup will thicken.

Southern-Style Lima Beans:

10 oz. package of frozen baby Lima beans
1 t. non-hydrogenated margarine
1/4 c. onion, chopped
1 t. liquid smoke (I like natural mesquite)
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 c. water
1/2 t. pepper
salt (to taste)

Melt margarine in a saucepan over medium heat, add onions and saute until soft. Add garlic, saute for a minute, then add water, liquid smoke, pepper, and salt. Lower to a simmer and cover. Should be ready in about a half hour.