To Kill A Mockingbird

• 1 cup of good vodka
• 1 tea bag
• 2 oranges
• 1 lime
• Sliced orange for garnish
• cranberry juice

Place a tea bag into one cup of vodka and let it steep for a couple of hours on a sunny windowsill. Fill a tall glass with ice and pour in 2 ounces of the tea-infused vodka. Cut an orange into four wedges and squeeze a quarter of the orange into the glass. Top off with cranberry juice and stir. Garnish with an orange and lime slice.

Makes 4 cocktails.

• 1 bunch of collard greens chopped (middle stems removed)
• 1 onion finely chopped
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 3 TBS Olive oil
• Salt to taste
• 1/2 cup of water or broth

Place a frying pan on medium heat. Add the olive oil, onion, red pepper flakes, and a large pinch of salt, and saute for several minutes until the onions are soft. Add the collard greens and saute on medium for several minutes more. Add 1/2 cup of water or broth and cook on low for 30 minutes. Check to season and serve hot.

• 1 pound of frozen okra
• 1 cup of flour
• 2 TBS of cajun seasoning
• 1 cup of cornmeal
• 2 eggs
• Vegetable oil
• Salt to taste

Beat the eggs in a shallow dish. In another shallow dish add the flour, spice, and corn meal.

Place the okra in the eggs and coat them well.  With a slotted spoon take the okra from the egg mixture and place the okra in the flour/cornmeal mixture. Heat a skillet with approximately 1 inch of oil coating the bottom. When the oil is hot (you can test with a bit of the batter), carefully place the okra in the skillet in a single layer. (You can do this in batches to make it more manageable.) Fry for approximately 2 - 3 minutes until the okra is golden brown. Remove the okra from the oil and place it onto a plate lined with a paper towel to absorb the excess oil. Salt liberally.

• 1/2 cup of mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup of sour cream or plain Greek yogurt 
• 2 TBS of hot sauce
• 1/2 tsp salt

Mix all of the ingredients together and serve with the hot fried okra.

• 1 Ham 
• 3/4 cup of water
• 1/2 cup of Maple Syrup
• 1/2 cup of red wine 
• 1 TBS fresh rosemary finely chopped
• 1 TBS Dijon mustard

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Place the ham in a roasting pan and add 3/4 cup of water to the bottom of the pan. Tent the ham with tin foil and bake for approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes for an 8-9 lb ham. In a saucepan add the wine, maple syrup, rosemary, and mustard. Let this come to a boil then turn the heat to low and reduce until it's thick and syrupy. When the ham comes out, turn the heat in the oven to 400 degrees. Pour the reduced glaze over the ham and let it cook for another 20 minutes.

This recipe is from Emma Lane's cookbook "A Few Good Things to Eat" published is 1898.       – CAKE –
3 ¼ cups sifted cake flour
2 teaspoons double-acting baking powder
1 – 16 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
8 egg whites
1 cup milk

*On wax paper sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter, sugar and vanilla. Add egg whites, in four additions, beating thoroughly after each addition.

Fold in flour mixture alternately with milk; begin and end with dry ingredients. Batter should be smooth but look slightly granular.

Turn into 4 ungreased 9-inch round layer-cake pans lined on the bottom with wax paper.

Bake in a 375-degree oven until edges shrink slightly from sides of pans and tops spring back when gently pressed with finger, or cake tester inserted in center comes out clean — about 20 minutes. Place pans on wire racks to cool for about 5 minutes.

Turn out on wire racks; remove wax paper; turn right side up; cool completely.

Put layers together (on a cake plate) with Lane Cake Filling, stacking carefully; do not spread filling over top. Cover top and sides with swirls of Boiled White Frosting.
Cover with a tent of foil or a cake cover; or cover tightly in a large deep bowl in tin box. Store in a cool place; if refrigerated, allow to stand at room temperature for half a day before serving because cake texture is best when cake is not served chilled.

Top with boiled white frosting 

(From a standard recipe)

• 8 egg yolks
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup raisins finely chopped
• 1/3 cup bourbon or brandy
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

*In a 2-quart saucepan, beat the egg yolks well; beat in sugar and butter. Cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly until quite thick. Remove from heat; stir in raisins, bourbon and vanilla. Cool slightly. Spread between layers of cake.

* I used dried cranberries, cherries, and shredded coconut instead of the raisins and it was delicious!