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This Spud is for You!

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A basket of potatoes, prepped and ready to cook. What’s your favorite potato 🥔 recipe???

The Morning Drive

As I started my car and headed towards work, a conversation on a morning radio show ensued about all the ways in which a potato could be made and eaten… from baked, mashed, to French fries. On that ride into work that morning to the hardware store, I was pleasantly impressed with all of the phone-in callers who were discussing their favorite ways to make their favorite potato dish.

Which, in turn, got me to thinking about the topic itself… yes, the potato is a versatile ingredient.

The humble potato… so much can be done with the potato when it comes to meal prep. Sometimes the “rut” of meal preparation can be daunting and the same old foods are seemingly always on the menu. My hope is that this “spud fest” will be an assist or inspiration to you in future meal planning or thinking about holiday cooking.

What potato dish will complement your holiday feast this year??? 🧐

A Slice of Spud History

Potatoes come in a variety of sizes, colors and shapes. From the traditional Russet baking potato, fingerlings, red, purple, Yukon gold, white, bite size potatoes, and sweet potatoes, just to name a few!!! Each potato variety also holds a unique starch profile… adding to the complexity and flavor of the spud. The Potato is a global staple in the diets of many cultures across the world. Potatoes are grown in most states in the US!!!

North Carolina hosts a Potato Festival each year in Elizabeth City… did you know that NC ranks FIRST in production of sweet potatoes???

The Spanish Conquistadors brought the humble potato back into Europe after their explorations into the New World. Who would have thought that the potato would ultimately end up becoming the first vegetable planted in space and also the same plant that led to a famine crisis centuries ago in Ireland???

Chunking It Down: Why the Potato??

Potatoes are nutrient dense and a high quality carbohydrate food source . The humble spud is an excellent source of Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, and potassium. The potato has a much potassium as a medium size banana!!! Plus, they’re a good source of niacin, folate, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorous, and copper. The potato skin holds a whopping 55% of total iron, 34% of calcium, and 17% of zinc. While the flesh of the potato has most of the Vitamin C (30 % of daily requirement) and potassium. The potato offers a boost of energy, a good source of fiber, and a sense fullness and satisfaction from eating the “spud” may serve you well.

Ready to “Dish It Out”

Beautiful handmade dishes to serve up a scoop of your favorite potato dishes available at WCH

Ready to “slice into the world of potatoes”??? Grab a napkin to savor the flavors of the potato and let’s read about a few favorite potatoes that I came up with after that thought provoking conversation from the radio about the humble spud. Enjoy!!

“Soupy” or Stewed Potatoes

These chunks are the perfect size for soupy potatoes… you can take skin off if you prefer

Growing up I will admit my favorite way to have a potato on my plate with vegetables, was stewed or what I called “soupy” potatoes. Mom always scooped them right out of the pot placed them onto my plate before she used the potato masher and made mashed potatoes. That sweet, simple gesture was always appreciated by me. A special little gift to me each time she made potatoes. 😊Much to my dismay, my husband was unfamiliar with this “style” of potatoes! What!!! How on earth could he have never had “soupy” potatoes???? Now, we traditionally have them on New Year’s Day to accompany our pork, cooked cabbage, and black eyed peas Unfamiliar with this style of potatoes??? The Potatoes are peeled, cubed, cooked down perfectly, softened, buttered well, and seasoned with salt and pepper. “Soupy potatoes” alongside a chunk of cornbread, black-eyed peas, or fresh green beans, made the meal complete and hearty. A must try!!!

Garden Potatoes: New Potatoes

These enamel dishpans are perfect for garden chores, canning prep or many other uses!!! Stop by WCH to pick one up

As a girl growing up at home, I didn’t fully appreciate or understand why I had to help with harvesting vegetables in the garden. As a young kid, working outside never appealed to me. I would rather be inside watching my favorite cartoons or Scooby Doo episodes. But my parents insisted that we all pitch into help with the garden harvest, so my sister and I did. I can remember that Dad and Mom always did the heavy lifting in the garden (like digging out potatoes) as we were too young and maybe a bit unmotivated to do much… because our dear little hearts were still wrapped around those Saturday cartoons. But, I helped to pick fresh green beans off the vines, harvested squash, cucumbers, green peppers, and tomatoes.

Whether you need tools to dig or harvest in the garden, WCH has what you need

The garden haul of freshly dug “new potatoes” were quickly rinsed off with the water hose and carried inside. The smell of those new potatoes, mingled with dirt and earth is one smell I won’t forget. I do remember the love of the cooking of the garden feast… fresh greens beans prepared with those smallest “new potatoes” dug from the garden a true treat each summer!

The classic green garden hose is always available at WCH

Baked Potatoes: Using Russet Potatoes

In the Crock Pot… Baked potatoes in crockpot??? Try it if you haven’t done that before. Yes, save electricity by using your crockpot and cook on high for 2-3 hours (increase your time with the size of potato) instead of using your oven. I brush mine with olive oil, silt each side of the potato with a knife, and salt pepper and cover it and walk away for a few hours.. dinner success!

Traditional Oven Method… Preheat oven to 450. Use knife to cut slits into baking potatoes, I place mine onto my Lodge skillet and don’t wrap them in aluminum foil. Add olive oil and salt and pepper to exterior. Bake potatoes for about 1 hour. For larger baked potatoes, a bit longer baking time might be needed.

I often use my large Lodge skillet to bake my potatoes 🥔. It works really well!!
Lodge skillets are always available for purchase at Wilkes County Hardware.

Side note Ok… I’ve viewed and tried the new trend of cutting baked potatoes in half and I do realize that it reduces the amount of time to bake… my take… I’m just not a fan of this method using a roasting pan. It changes the texture of your baked potatoes in the end. Want a different texture of a baked potato??? Try doing a Hasselback potato. This is another great variation.

Want to add more protein to your meal??? Serve up a baked potato with a hearty meat chili .

Chili Beans Recipe: For Stuffed Baked Potatoes

Ingredients:

1 lb. Browned ground hamburger

1 can (15.5 ounce) light red kidney beans

1 can (15.5 ounce) pinto beans

1 can (15.5 ounce) cannellini beans

2 cans (8 oz.) tomato sauce

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

Dash cayenne pepper

Making it…Chili Beans

1. Brown hamburger, while hamburger is cooking combine spices in a small bowl and mix well.

2. Add chili spice blend into hamburger, stir well.

3. Add beans (drain well) and tomato sauce into the chili/hamburger mixture.

4. Cook on low heat until beans have softened for at least 20-25 minutes.

5. Top baked potato with chili

Mashed Potatoes: Using Yukon Gold Potatoes

Potatoes are not a high calorie food in themselves, what WE ADD into the potato makes them a higher caloric source and less nutritional… sorry, this recipe is decadent and rich with butter, heavy cream, and cheese. This is a definite, delicious special treat when I make this side dish.

Recipe for Cheesy Mashed Potatoes:

Ingredients:

Peeled Yukon Gold potatoes -cubed (small chunks of potatoes will cook faster)

Heavy cream/or whole milk

1 stick softened unsalted butter

Salt and pepper

Cheeses: Parmesan, cheddar, Gruyère, whatever you prefer or have on hand

Making it: Mashed Potatoes

1. Begin with peeled and cubed potatoes in cold AND salted water in pot. Beginning with salted water will lock in the flavor of the salt. Cook on stovetop until potatoes are fork tender.

2. Drain potatoes after potatoes have soften in texture.

3. Cube up softened butter and add to potatoes, add black pepper potatoes to season to your liking.

4. Add a very small amount of milk or cream to begin with. You can always add more cream/milk … it is harder to take away the liquid without losing flavor!

5. Using hand mixer or stand mixer, mix the butter/milk mixture until smooth and creamy adding small amounts of milk/cream as you go.

Sometimes I’ll do a quick chop to make mixing potatoes a bit easier, especially if I’m making a bigger batch… these are a staple at WCH year round!

6. Once potatoes are creamy, add cheese (1/4 cup each) stir into potato mixture.

7. Serve immediately OR Keep potatoes warm by placing into a well buttered casserole dish. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes.

Mashed potatoes can also be a “topping complement” to a Shepherd’s pie!!!!

Using your Potato Leftovers

My Granny never wasted a bit of food. Growing up in the Depression, she always would save the smallest amount of food from any meal. These leftovers were always used in creative ways…add ins for soups, stews, or served up at the next meal of the day. Potatoes that are leftover can be used in creative ways from making Twice Baked Potatoes, Fried Potato Cakes, to Creamy Potato Soup!

Leftover Mashed Potatoes: Potato Soup

Ingredients:

Leftover Mashed potatoes.. no leftovers… 1 container of Bob Evans mashed potatoes works well

1 stick of unsalted Butter

Heavy Cream or Whole Milk

Cubed and diced potatoes (russet or Yukon gold)- potato skin off

Salt/pepper

See note below for extra ingredients to add as a toppings for finished soup

Making it: Potato Soup

1. Cook the cubed potatoes in well salted cold water in a large stock pot. Drain 3/4 of water once potatoes are softened.

2. Add black pepper, butter to pot. Slicing butter into small chunks will allow butter to distribute evenly into soup and melt faster. Do not stir to keep your potatoes intact.

3. Add milk or cream to pot. Filling above the potatoes. I like to do a combination of these ingredients (half/half)

4. Stir in the leftover mashed potatoes the more you have, the creaminess level will add to your soup!

5. Let soup simmer on low heat for at least 15-20 minutes.

6. Add ins… chopped crumbled bacon, shredded cheddar cheese, or serve along side with hot cornbread!

Cornbread is ready to go into the oven!!!

The Humble Potato… The Casserole Side Dish:

Thanksgiving isn’t complete without the sweet potato for most. I know my dad always loves sweet potatoes for holiday meals, especially Thanksgiving and Christmas. Sweet potatoes can be baked, served up with a bit of even more sweetness with melted marshmallows on top of them, or served up as a casserole.

Not a sweet potato fan??? Well, truth being told, I’m not a fan of the sweet potato. But serve up a potato au gratin in a casserole dish! I’m all in!!!

Au Gratin Potatoes are different from the scalloped potato… the main difference is that a scalloped potato is absent of cheese while Au Gratin potatoes have cream base and cheese. Need a potato dish in a hurry??? Try the option of using shredded hash browns instead with the cream, herbs and cheese layered into your Lodge skillet or casserole dish.

Recently made the layered hash browns with cheese and cream, it was delicious! Will continue to develop this recipe… so stay posted!

The Hot Dish: A Nod to Minnesota

Ever heard of this???? A Hot Dish??? Southerners may not necessarily recognize this staple but after reading about this potato dish you may want to incorporate this spud into your fall recipe lineup. According to my very good friend Barbara, who grew up Minnesota, the hot dish appears at every church potluck just like the typical potato casserole dish or infamous potato salad would be served at any Southern gathering. The traditional hot dish is topped with tater tots. Those of you who love tots, you will love this dish!!! The base of the hot dish is usually hamburger, mixed vegetables, cream of mushroom soup, and cheesy. I made a few last Fall and winter. I’m a fan!

My first Hot Dish Attempt… needed more tots on top!!! The base was hamburger and mushrooms with taco seasoning, cream of mushroom soup, and cheese. It was great comfort meal food!!! A must try!!!

Easy Potato Sides

These dishes would be perfect for picnic lunch!!! Found at your local hardware store… Wilkes County Hardware

A picnic, covered dish luncheon, or cookout isn’t complete without at least one bowl of potato salad. Weeknight meals are sometimes served with the frozen varieties of the humble spud… fries, or tater tots. I love a good crisp tater tot to add to a grilled cheeseburger for a quick evening meal. My favorite way to add a bit of variety to the weekly menu selection is to do Oven Roasted potatoes, fried potatoes, or Steamed Potatoes. Fingerling, small baby red potatoes, or small new potatoes work well with this recipe below.

Steamed Potatoes

Ingredients:

1 bag of Fingerling potatoes, red, or new potatoes

4T unsalted butter

Spices: Italian seasoning, dried onion, salt, pepper to taste . Add your favorite ingredients to make this dish work for you!

Non stick Covered pot: Need lid for steaming (I use a Le Crueset casserole dish or a covered Lodge would work)

Making It: Steamed Potatoes

1. Allow butter to melt slowly in bottom of pot.

2. Add small potatoes, I do cut my potatoes in half if they are on larger size to allow for even cooking of the smaller ones.

3. Add spices. Add extra butter if potatoes are not fully saturated with butter. You do not want them to stick to bottom of pot! Add lid. Turn burner heat to a medium low.

4. Potatoes will sizzle as they steam. I shake/slide back and forth the steaming potato pot every 8-10 minutes to prevent them from sticking.

5. Allow potatoes to steam on low heat for at least 45 minutes. Smaller sizes potatoes will steam faster… open pot, use a fork to test for doneness. Fork should slide easily into done potatoes.

The Addictive Potato Chip

Ahhh the potato chip… You can’t eat just one

A little trivia tidbit… North Carolina potato growers also grow more than just the good ole sweet potato. About 70 percent of the potatoes grown in North Carolina are used in the production of potato chips!!! No wonder I love me a bag of potato chips so much!!! Leave me with a bag of potato chips and I can eat the whole bag😬. “Betcha you can’t eat just one… “ the old slogan from many years ago from Lays potato chips. Yes, I think I could eat the whole dang bag!!! Crushed Potato chips do make a wonderful topping for casseroles, and can be added as a topping for proteins like chicken or even fish! Oh, for unique twist, try Potato Chip Cookies!!! Yum!!! A Huge Thanks to Uncle David and Kimberly for sharing the recipe!!! This is always a favorite cookie shared during the Christmas holiday season but would be a nice treat anytime of the year.

Potato Chip Cookies: A Delicious Twist on the Potato

Ingredients:

1 C Butter

1/2 C Sugar

1 t Vanilla

2 C white Flour

1/2 C potato chips (Utz brand works great) crushed

1/2 C chopped pecans

Making it: Potato Chip Cookies

Preheat oven to 350. Mix and cream together butter, sugar and vanilla. Add flour, crushed potato chips and pecans. Drop by teaspoon onto a cookie sheet placing each cookie about 2 inches apart from each other. Flatten each cookie by using a glass cup, coated with sugar to enhance flavors. Bake 10-12 minutes on 350 degree oven. Makes about 5 dozen cookies.

Last, but not the least “Holly Taters”

The Holly Farms poultry industry has been rooted in Wilkes since the 1950’s. In the late 1960’s, Holly Farms branched out into the restaurant industry. I can remember the good ol’ days of The Holly Farms Restaurants. We had one right in Wilkesboro which was always busy! Holly Farms Restaurant became known for two key foods… fried chicken and Holly Farms Tater Wedges. Many people have tried to replicate the potato wedges recipe, some finding success with a similar flavor profile. Below is a revised recipe for Tater Wedges that have been a staple for me. Thanks to my friend Susie for sharing her delicious recipe several years ago.

Holly Farms Tater Wedges

Ingredients:

1 c self rising flour

1 c Parmesan cheese (grated is best)

1 stick butter (unsalted)

Chicken Seasoning

Black Pepper

Freshly cut Russet potato wedges (uncooked)

Making it:

Preheat oven to 400. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut potatoes into wedges, wash well. I usually place wedges into a bowl of salted cold water while I’m prepping. Roll/toss potatoes into flour/cheese mixture. Line the tossed potato wedges onto baking sheet. Don’t crowd wedges. Use extra baking sheet if needed for even cooking. Sprinkle seasonings- chicken and black pepper. Cut butter into small chunks, dispersing along the baking sheet. Bake 45 minutes or until fork tender. Turn once during baking cycle.

So that’s it. Time to get off the “couch potato” and go make your favorite potato recipes! Hope y’all enjoyed this “mash up” about the potato.

blogging, family, Hardware Store Life, holiday cooking, Home, Hometown Holidays, memories, old school hardware store, Shop Local, Southern food, southern living, Thanksgiving

Home for the Holidays… Gathering Around the Table: Hometown Holidays Series #1

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All I want for the holidays is FOOD!!! It’s all gravy, keep your holiday balanced, a cookie in each hand… all of these cute and funny food quotes stir up my appetite for a delicious holiday meal.

Just couldn’t resist 😂

As they say, “All roads lead to home during the holidays” I must say, your Hometown. Wherever that might be. Yes, usually, most of us find the time and commit ourselves to winding our way back to our hometown during the winter holidays. According to AAA, close to 80 million people will travel at least 50 miles or more over the Thanksgiving holiday week in 2024.

Are you traveling for the Thanksgiving holiday weekend???

Traveling back to your hometown and gathering with family over the holiday dinner table, allows time to reconnect with those we love… and hopefully time to enjoy and explore the beautiful landscape of nature that makes your hometown uniquely special. Offering the opportunity to “feed” your soul, not the just the body literally.

Thanksgiving and Christmas Holidays are the two biggest holidays for the cook in the family. Special meals are often served over the family table and shared with extended family members who return home from all over the globe.

This beautiful table is featured inside Wilkes County Hardware, made by Keegan Watson.

Many hours of thought, shopping, prep, and cooking occur before the holiday meal is complete. Once these steps are finished, the entire family can gather together, ready to partake in the celebration of the “hometown holiday dinner”.

Whether the family is large or small, it is a process to gather together and share a meal over the holiday. Let’s include the time and journey to return home. The melding of unique personalities, coming together as one complete family. All, simply gathering around the table to “ break bread”, sharing memories of times past, and the enveloping sense of belonging, Home.

WCH Tip: Bake ahead of the holiday

Let’s return to the process of preparation for the Hometown Holiday Gathering. The holidays are fast approaching! The clock is ticking away, it’s officially ONE week away now until Thanksgiving Day!

Thanksgiving is one of the biggest food holidays of the year. Thanksgiving ranks as THE top food consumption holiday. Surprisingly, Super Bowl Sunday follows close behind.

Let’s just get it out there, we all have been there… do any of these holiday scenarios sound familiar to you???? Forgetting to prepare certain dishes, broken dishes, stressing over the lack of oven space, unexpected guests, slightly overcooked /burned foods, maybe the turkey did not thaw out in time for roasting… these ALL can happen and have happened during the holidays.

My hope is that IF you plan to cook over the holidays this year, success will reign supreme! Set yourself up for success before you begin cooking for the holidays. Have a definite meal plan and execute it accordingly and adjust as needed. Things will happen even to the most experienced cooks in the kitchen.

Cooking is art form. The artful cook can use ingredients masterfully, creating dishes that are delicious, and delightful in appearance. These artful hometown cooks have conquered these kitchen skills, will effortlessly make the most of the family gathering. A masterful cook can make and prepare a hometown homemade holiday gathering … a feast for the eyes. All the while, the aromatic goodness wafting through the kitchen welcoming you into the heart and soul of the kitchen, feeding your spirit. HOME.

A hot dessert baking in the oven! What a way to be welcomed back home!!!! Dessert, a central ingredient for holiday dinners!

Whether you find yourself in the master cook category or even if you consider yourself a cook still honing skills in the kitchen, having a plan for a successful Hometown Holiday Gathering can be accomplished with a few simple steps.

The perfect execution of the “roadmap of success” for a fantastic hometown holiday meal gathering can be achieved with the combination of assistance from family who might linger in the kitchen either to “sample the good stuff”. OR those in your family who wish to truly help in the effort to make the day fruitful and wholeheartedly worth the extra time and energy spent on making the hometown holiday meal a reality. Team in place, you can work together to create the ultimate holiday celebration for your entire crew.

Once the meal has arrived on the table, beautifully presented, the literal feast for your body can begin. Bringing balance and a bit of zen or comfort to your hometown holiday experience, and maybe even a good nap…. after all that turkey 😂😂. I couldn’t resist that one!

Another view of this gorgeous family table made by Keegan Watson.

It is also worth a mention that THE BIG Food holidays can leave you a bit frazzled, stressed, and worn out even if you fall into the “expert cook” category when it comes to food preparation. Everyone wants a “true zen experience” for their hometown holiday meal. So… What can you do prior to gathering that ensures a masterful experience this Thanksgiving or any other holiday for that matter?

This is where your hometown hardware store can assist you, believe it or not!

The time is come to prepare for the Thanksgiving Day Meal.

Wilkes County Hardware, Helping You Find Hometown Holiday Success:

  1. If you are having overnight guests for the Thanksgiving holiday, get your home in order, cleaned and prepare for your guests arrival. Don’t forget to make sure that you are stocked up on toilet paper, paper towels, dish washer tablets, Clorox wipes, etc! You don’t want to run to store during the holiday weekend and fight the crowds or find yourself running low on essentials with guests in house!
When you shop small businesses, you can beat the chaos of the box store, during the holidays AND find a friendly greeting as you enter the store. WCH Tip: Your Guests appreciate the extra touches, like the great smelling soap in the bathroom. Wilkes County Hardware has a fantastic selection of Meyers products
Always have extra paper products on hand with guests over the busy holiday weekends. When you shop small businesses, $68 out of every $100 will stay in your local community.

2. Set your menu and grocery shop. As you are planning your menu for Thanksgiving or the holiday meal, think about how each dish should be prepared. Will you have enough oven space and time??? How could these dishes be altered or prepared differently, if the answer was No… A masterful cook will explore other techniques for food preparation, like using the grill or smoker to prepare your meats, using a crockpot, toaster oven to warm up pre-made casseroles, preparing dishes ahead of time, asking others to pitch and bringing food to the gathering… the list is long! Lastly, as a masterful cook, explore our selection of sauces and rubs to enhance your holiday meal.

Traeger Grills are a great resource for holiday food preparation! Stop by to learn more or pick up your flavorful pellets before next Thursday!

3. Inventory your kitchen utensils and other equipment. Make sure you have the necessary tools for your biggest kitchen day of the year! Nothing is worse than a dull knife on Thanksgiving Day to complicate the task of carving the turkey. Wilkes County Hardware sharpens knives as a continuing service to our customers. Wilkes County Hardware has a good selection of basic kitchen equipment that can help make your holiday meal plan come together.

4. Lastly, think about the gathering itself. Gathering around the table, what will it look like??? A formal affair??? Mom’s finest china, silver, and crystal??? If so, a good cleaning might be required. Stop by Wilkes County Hardware to pick up silver polish, or Brasso, or any other cleaning products to keep your beautiful heirlooms looking great on the family table this holiday season.

A more casual family hometown holiday dinner??? Stop by to find some classic handmade items to complement your decor.

It’s amazing how ONE new anchor piece can spark great dinner conversation, especially when it’s locally made!

Ultimately, Gathering around the hometown holiday table, enjoying each other’s company creates the atmosphere where people linger around the table, stories are told, and memories made. Glimpses and Snapshots of joy, and laughter, radiating across the table. Life simply couldn’t be better. The holiday meal has moved from pure sustenance to an amiable experience and soulfully satisfying. Nothing could be better💕! The essence of Hometown for the Holidays.

Happy Thanksgiving Y’all!

casserole, Hardware Store Life, holiday cooking, Home, recipe, southern cooking, Southern food, southern living, supper, Thanksgiving

The Casserole: A Southern Staple

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Which one of these statements BEST describes the cook in your household???? Are you the Southern cook who uses a recipe as the roadmap to the ultimate meal success making absolutely NO alterations to the recipe as you cook OR do you simply use a recipe as a reference… using available ingredients on hand??? Too hard to answer??? I think I’m both but it depends on what I preparing.

When it comes to baking, I’m always going to be a recipe reader prior to baking, and even during “the making process” of the dessert.

Here’s one of my main reference tools from my kitchen wall… family favorite recipes…thanks to chalkboard paint. Yes, you can find chalkboard paint at Wilkes County Hardware!

Casseroles… Creative Cooking:

Alternately, when it comes to making a casserole, I’m definitely the latter. I’ll make a new casserole based on ingredients on hand AND using leftovers found inside the refrigerator and pantry. My favorite phrase to describe my supper creations in this type of instance would be “creative casserole cooking”.

Pantry staples…

For the creative cook, Casseroles are a chance to experiment with different flavors, textures, and ingredients to create the ultimate family style casserole dish. That’s the ultimate beauty of a casserole, you don’t have to be a recipe follower, you have the freedom to make and create as you cook! Use the “formula” guidelines below for making the perfect casserole adding these different components. Keep on reading to make and create a new family favorite casserole.

Casserole Cookbook Fun:

I’m betting that you can find a multitude of casserole recipes in any Southern cookbook. Lol, there might be a whole section devoted to just casseroles! I would bet that you may find some casseroles that you have NEVER heard of before or maybe even have the curiosity to make them. Go and seek out your favorite church cookbook, or elementary school fundraiser cookbooks, and you can find many different versions of the same casserole recipe too!

I keep a small stash of my favorite cookbooks right on the kitchen countertop. The cute doggie cookie jar holds some of my handwritten recipes.

I’m not really sure when “The Casserole” came into existence, nor is it the purpose of this blog post today, but as the seasons begin to shift and change, and the holiday season begins soon, I have begun to think about my favorite casseroles to make and consume. AND potential new casseroles to try… Pineapple Casserole, you might be on the slate for the holiday season!

After all, casseroles are the ultimate comfort foods and have become a “Mainstay” in most Southern households. Casseroles truly hold center stage at the long table at church potlucks and are always at the forefront of family holiday meals. So let’s dig into “The Casserole”. I’m getting hungry y’all! Anyone else???

Components of A Casserole:

Casserole components are pretty simple in composition: protein, vegetables, binding ingredients such as (cheese, eggs, sour cream, cream base soups, etc) and the crunch. But, I must admit that the crux of a casserole has to be the binding… the creamy sauce brings together the ingredients formulating your casserole dish. The binding ingredients once completely warmed in the oven, creates a bubbly visual that lets the maker know that the final product is done and ready to eat and consume.

The beginnings of Chicken Casserole… a family favorite…. Starting with the chopped chicken chunks
Adding the binding… cheeses and soups. I add a bit of parmigiana cheese and cheddar cheese into my chicken casserole binder … it’s an flavorful addition. Milk instead of water adds a nice touch of a boost of flavor to the binder sauce.

Now, we must discuss the last component of a casserole… the crunch. Adding a bit of crunchiness on the top layer of the hot, bubbly casserole dish takes it to a whole other dimension of flavor, complexity, and texture not previously recognized.

Classic flavors like the crunch of a chopped Ritz cracker or French fried onions to top off old favorites casseroles, like the green bean casserole. Imagine taking these classic recipes to a higher level by adding a new flavor profile and texture with Panko, nuts, bacon bits, Saltines, or even crushed potato chips, or crushed pretzels. Your choices are endless! I bet it will be a smashing success!

A staple for Chicken Casserole topping (the crunch) and Thanksgiving Dressing!!!

I would just reckon that the top crunchy layer is the distinctive part of the casserole that sets it apart from someone else’s at the church potluck… beckoning the hungry parishioners to try that crunchy, browned casserole over the soggy topped casserole carefully situated next to the beautifully browned casserole. I know which one I’m spooning out and sampling.

Defining The Casserole:

As a student of history, I would bet that casseroles were a staple in Southern homes during the First World War, The Great Depression and also during World War 2. A casserole could easily supplement OR be the main course of the meal AND extend the number of people one could easily feed during a time of rationing. Of course, the use available ingredients on hand during the cooking process was crucial during these war years. Casseroles did become very common during the 1950’s when convenient, canned goods were the central ingredients, making the evening meal a little bit easier to prepare.

Dish It Out!

As I have mentioned, casseroles are a mainstay of Southern cooking, but I’m also suggesting that the casserole dish ITSELF is important! Whether you use the classic 9 x 13 baking dish or another baking vessel, my gut tells me that most of us probably use the same casserole dish EVERY SINGLE TIME we make a casserole! Let’s face it, we all have our favorite cooking utensils, and bakeware that we routinely use more than others. I know that I have one or two “go to casserole dishes” that I always use over all the others in my kitchen.

This Lodge Dutch Oven would make some amazing casseroles! You can find this available for purchase at Wilkes County Hardware!

According to one definition, a casserole is a dish baked and served in the same dish. In Minnesota, Wisconsin, and the Dakotas casseroles are known as “hotdish”. A central ingredient of those “hotdish” recipes gravitates around the tater tot. There’s a whole debate about the hotdish vs the casserole … But for our purposes in the blog today, the dish itself is important “hotdish” or casserole!

AND remember, to never overfill to the top of your casserole dish prior to baking in the oven… are you chuckling as you read this??? It has probably happened to you at some point in your cooking experience, too much goodness in a dish overflowing everywhere all over your the inside of the oven. No one wants to be cleaning the oven as a result of the overflowing, bubbling, baking casserole. That’s definitely not magical!

Oven cleaner available at Wilkes County Hardware

Let the Casserole Magic Begin:

I firmly believe that part of the magic of the casserole has to be recipes themselves. The casserole recipes are as unique as each creative cook, using ingredients that you, as the chef, LOVE!

Enough said!! If you love it, and your family scarfs down the warm casserole goodness, SUCCESS !

Mojo Of Casserole Cooking:

There are definitely a few distinct advantages to casserole cooking, keep reading to get the casserole mojo mindset going right into the holidays.

Casseroles can feed a crowd, like the loaves and fishes in Biblical times. The spoonfuls of goodness can feed many in pinch or serve as a second meal as leftovers.

Casseroles can be prepared ahead of time… using the fix and freeze method which is a gift and a blessing to those who need a quick meal, like a sick loved one, a sleep deprived mom with a newborn baby, or even a family experiencing bereavement.

Casseroles can be the focus of the meal… breakfast, lunch or supper… yes, this dish can be served any time of the day. A versatile magical way to cook! Casseroles can also serve as a side dish, a “second fiddle”of sorts, to the main course. Have an abundance of vegetables from the garden???? Don’t be bewitched or bewildered by the excess. I bet you can find, make or create a casserole in order to use what you have! Now that’s just a bit of chef wizardry.

Casserole Comfort Food 101:

Nothing is better than on a cold, nasty day than making your favorite comfort foods. I have a few go-to dishes that I love as Comfort Foods. Casseroles fit perfectly within this description. With the ease of baking (using only ONE dish), then taking the hot, bubbly food out of the oven, casserole flavors wafting through the air, inhaling the first smells as it cools on the kitchen counter, and then finally the tasting… which warms the body, soul, and spirit. Comfort food at its best… right???Happy cooking y’all!

Happiest of Holidays to You and Your Family!
Hardware Store Life, Historical Events, southern living, Thanksgiving

Mr. EE Eller, Chickens and Turkeys… Nothing but Clucking, Gobbling, and Plucking out the Truth

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Who is Mr. Eller you may ask???

He is the gentleman who built the current building that houses our hardware store in 2022. Mr. Eller placed his business, as you may have guessed, in our current building on the corner of 10th Street and D Street in North Wilkesboro.

Wilkes County Hardware in November 2022

To our best known facts, the building dates back to 1905. Mr. EE Eller was a premier poultry & produce dealer in North Wilkesboro. EE Eller Produce Co. was one of the largest turkey, and chicken wholesalers. EE Eller was a major processing center for local farmers to bring turkeys/chickens into North Wilkesboro. Ironically, it was probably one of the first poultry processing plants in our town.

An artist rendering of Wilkes Hardware from several years ago

Farmers would literally herd their turkeys from down the mountains in Ashe, Watauga, and Alleghany Counties in order to collect the cash proceeds from their labor filled task.

Eller’s staff would process/sell their flock. Could you imagine the sight that it must have been??? All of the sudden the flock of turkeys appeared on the roads in Wilkes!!!! Men guiding them with corn along the way, flocks of turkeys gobbling, wobbling with wings flying everywhere!!!! I would imagine that the sight of this was pretty common in the early 1900’s in rural Wilkes County. I bet the turkeys never suspected any “fowl play” on their journey. The old newspaper article did say that one of the largest turkey drives that ever was processed by Mr. Eller was 1,500 turkeys in one drive!!!

Signage like this one marked the path for local farmers to EE Eller’s Produce House. Thanks to Jerry Dameron for sharing this photo collection with me.

Once a flock of turkeys arrived at EE Eller Produce, they were processed/ dressed for shipped via train. Our local train station was just down the street from our current store location. The train destinations were mostly in Northern states after leaving the North Wilkesboro station. According to local oral history, it is estimated that Mr. Eller processed at his height of business, 1 million chickens and turkeys!!!! Guess that was all “gravy” for him after that!!!!

I have written about the history of our store before but, new facts have come to light! Let’s “de-feather” this poultry truth!

To those loyal readers of my blog, this will be new information for you. All the “plucky” truth, as we know it… A few months back, we were lucky to have a few family members of Mr. Eller to drop in for a quick visit. Up high on the wall held 4 pictures of what we had thought were the past 4 owners of the building, but it was ultimately revealed that the charcoal drawing on the far left was not Mr. EE Eller.

Many of y’all know this was the Wall of Fame inside our hardware store… check the wall the next time you shop with us, it maybe a “feather” shorter than before
Who really knows who this guy could be??? The truth is that we did not find any visible clues inside the frame or even on the back of this old charcoal drawing

Further reading and research has revealed that Mr. Eller moved from the corner of 10th and D Street building to Forester Avenue in 1941 to a larger location. Wilkes Hardware moved into the 10th Street location sometime later on, I haven’t been able to determine a definite date yet but we know it was sometime in the 1940’s.

It was fascinating to “pluck out” the facts about the origins of this historic building we currently reside in each day. As time allows, I’ll continue to research more about the history of Wilkes Hardware and even Mr. Eller. For now, I think we have “gobbled up” a few new fascinating facts about our historic past.

Hope I “beaked” your interest a bit in our history but just “winging it” and wishing y’all a very Happy Thanksgiving!
Autumn, bucket list, Fall, Fall Bucket List, Hardware Store Life, southern living, Thanksgiving

November

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My morning usually starts with breakfast and a large mug of steaming, hot coffee. After breakfast, I usually try to check notifications on our social media and put out new stories on our most active social media accounts. My morning routine was in full swing today when I came across a post about the first day of November. It was a cute one, Bette Milder in her best Sanderson sister costume on the left side of the screen and on the right, Chevy Chase as Clark Griswold, of National Lampoons Christmas Vacation. The gist is that Christmas has officially begun today on November 1st.

In reality, yes, it probably has officially begun. Retailers have had all things Christmas up and in stores for a few weeks now… trees, lights, and decorations. Hallmark Christmas movies have been featured on the television for the last few weeks and I would bet some folks are ready to get onto a healthy dose of holiday spirit with Christmas lights, and trees .

So what happened to the season of Thanksgiving? It is now a holiday surrounded by a kickoff of the Christmas shopping season. I’m not debating the right or wrong way to celebrate the month of November in this blog post, but my thoughts are just reflection upon the season of Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving… a time of gratitude, grace, thanks, blessings, and giving back to our community. After all, the smallest blessing can be received even from the tiniest of things in life.

Shouldn’t we hold the season of Thanksgiving in our hearts every single day???

Thanksgiving is now just 23 days away. What will I do differently over the next few weeks in preparation for this important holiday of Thanksgiving besides shopping for a turkey & dressing???

I’m actively working on my November “bucket list” and I don’t think putting up my Christmas tree is high on the list right now.

Here’s my current brainstorming plan…

What would you put on your November list???

1. Create a Thanksgiving playlist of music. ( FYI: I have a working playlist now and will continue to update it as the month progresses.)

2. Make & bake a pumpkin spice treat, pumpkin muffins??? Thanks mom for sharing the recipe.

3. Make Hot Apple Cider – Muddled with spices

Looking forward to this blend on a cool evening or Sunday afternoon

4. Fire pit and marshmallows

5. Friendsgiving fun.. it’s been a couple of years since we have done this, but going to try to do this again.

Pumpkin spice buttercream…. It was so delicious!!!

6. Try a new soup or stew recipe for a cool, “fallish” evening meal

I already have one soup recipe on my list to make so far!

7. Enjoy the simplicity of every day life in the season of Fall.

8. Gratitude posts… share posts that are inspiring and complete at least two a week on my personal IG page or Facebook page.

Sharing on my stories will be a constant in the month of November. Check back for posts and other updates.

9. Watch A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, with popcorn of course!

Popcorn is a definite movie treat!

10. Create a list of must watch Thanksgiving movies 🍿 or shows. This one will be a work in progress for 2022… so I’ll let you know what ends up on my list when it is finished.

Life is short. I can’t believe my son is grown now. It was just like yesterday he wanted to go turkey hunting with my dad while riding the golf cart. Treasure each day it is a unique gift.

November might actually turn out to be a nice month y’all, with more reflection about blessings, thanks, gratitude, family, friendship and slowing down to enjoy the last days of Fall.

Give thanks for a little, you will find a whole lot in return.