Fried Chicken Wins

You know, this is really funny. Of all the dishes that y'all selected as most Southern, it was the one we least often had at home.

We had fried catfish real often when I was a child. Daddy would go fishing with Cousin Larry over on New River and we'd have trout and catfish like crazy. I can still remember Daddy getting choked on a bone. It was a lot cheaper to kill a fish than a chicken, and way more fun.

Granny made the best pan-fried chicken in the world. This is not the same as Colonel Sanders. It was fried in her cast-iron frying pan and was heavily peppered. The best chicken that is what most people would consider "traditional Southern chicken" was that made by Billie Karns at the truckstop on Sundays. Folks would leave church and head to the truckstop for Billie's fried chicken, chicken gravy and biscuits. And the coffee was incredible. Billie was one of the best cooks I have ever known. And then there cakes, made by Billie's sister, Kathyrn. To die for.

My sister, Berniece Denise, reminded me that Billie's niece, Diana Lowe, owns ASAP Restaurant, back home on South Main Street. ASAP stands for "As Southern As Possible." She makes fried chicken the same way her Aunt Billie did. Y'all stop in!

Since that poll has closed, I'm asking for all y'all to give me your opinion on what the theme song of the South should be. No musicians will be harmed, I promise.

History Lessons

Some of us grow where we're planted; others have to roam. I had to leave my home just to find somebody to kiss outside my gene pool.

My friends, Cally Krallman and Diane Gillenwater, wrote this song, "Prairie Glimpses," for the Kansas Song Project. They are remarkable women, "hearty pioneer stock," as we say. Listen to the words of this song, be courageous and stout of heart. Take out that recipe you clipped from a magazine years ago, that difficult, gourmet recipe that you're not sure if you can handle. If you have a bonnet like Caroline Ingalls would have worn, put that on. Think of our pioneer mothers and fathers who did not have air conditioning or hairspray. It makes me weep!


Now challenge yourself to create something wonderful, beyond what you thought possible.


If you don't have a recipe in mind, I'll share one. Since we had a peach orchard, I'm partial to fresh peaches. If you don't have an orchard go to the farmer's market and get as close as you can to right off the tree.

Peel and slice about 8 good sized peaches. Puree in a food processor. Soak about a tablespoonful of gelatin in 3 tablespoons of lemon juice. Pour into the peaches and stir real good. Then let it chill for a while.


Put a tablespoonful of gelatin into three tablespoonsful of water and let it soak. After it has set a while, you'll want to heat it and make sure it's dissolved. Take off the heat. Take about a cup of cream cheese that has been softening and and beat with until it's light and soft. Then blend in the gelatin/water mixture and blend some more. For good measure and further decadence, whip a cup of cream and then fold it into the cream cheese mixture. Chill for a while.

Now just before the peaches and the cream cheese mixture have set, fold them together into a pretty mold. It may be cheating, but you can spray LIGHTLY with non-stick spray just make sure it slides out real purty. Make sure that it has set up well before taking out of the mold.


Now this dish may sound simple but think about the steps you have taken and the tools you have used: a food processor, a mixer, a stove, a refrigerator -- and the ingredients: cream cheese, gelatin, whipping cream, and FRESH peaches. Even 50 years ago some of these were just not to be had or were difficult to come by.

Serve this on a beautiful dish to someone you love. Hold hands and thank the Good Lord you were not born a day, or a century, before your time.


Visit the kansassongproject.com to get the CD and learn more about the songs and artists. The Georgiabelle peaches are from the actual HCHarold orchard on Willis Gap, Arart, Virginia. Visit them online at hcharoldorchard.com.

Presentation, Presentation!

Spent the morning at Lloyd Zimmer, Books and Maps, setting up the display window for the February 4 booksigning. Cheryl Logan came by and offered her assistance, less things become too busy or, heaven forbid, tacky. When it was complete, Lloyd stepped out to the sidewalk and shook his head.

"My regular customers aren't going to know what to think!"

It's going to be an interesting evening!

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Spent the afternoon at the library with Diana Friend and Susie Marchant (Susie is really responsible for Dixie's coming to be!). Preparations are being made the big launch event on February 6. It will truly be a "coming full circle" since Dixie Lee's very first performance was February two years ago. Wow! So much has happened since then! We made sweet potato sonker then. This time, I think we'll make buttermilk pie.

Y'all come!

French Toast

My favorite part of the month is joining the morning crew on WIBW TV. Even though it requires me to get up before the crack of dawn and Woodrow, being an old-fashioned gentleman, insists that I not go by myself. Thus, he, too, gets before the crack of dawn and we pile up Dixie Lee's dodads and head for the TV station.

The crew there could not be nicer. Of course, since they are all up at just past midnight, I don't think they're quite right.

Just before Christmas, I made French Toast with Dave Johnson. We've been together a while now so I decided he was ready for actual cooking and not just mixing. Since that appearance, I've had lots of requests for the recipe. French Toast is one of those wonderful breakfasts that can be served any time of the day. The aroma whispers of home and sweet memories so for this dish I think we should play "Counting Hills" the title track of Greg Fox's CD. It's a wonderful song about sitting in the back of the station wagon counting the hills on the drive to the family home. It is sweet and uplifting and nostalgic --- just like French Toast.

French Toast, as decadent as it is, is an humble food, too, which is another reason this is the perfect song. On WIBW, I took leftover hotdog buns from the boyscout fundraiser at Auburn and turned them into French Toast. Just trim off the tops (save them to toast for breadcrumbs) and you have the perfect thickness.

In a mixing bowl, beat two to four eggs. They go a long way, actually, so don't get carried away. Add a little cream, a dab of sugar, vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon, a dash of ginger, a dash of salt, and the juice from one orange. Grate a little orange zest in there, too. This touch of citrus makes all the difference. Drag the bread through this mixture, turn over a time or too, but don't let it soak. I think that just gets the bread too wet. When the butter melts in your pan, carefully lay the egg-laden bread in. Don't cook too quickly; this has to cook all the way through. It may take five minutes for each side. When done, lots of folks sprinkle with powdered sugar and then pour on the syrup. If you're concerned about sugar, leave off the powdered sugar and use sugar-free syrup. Or, serve with fruit and yogurt. Get creative with your toppings. I think this toast is so good it really doesn't need syrup.

Really wonderful if served with some thick bacon. The smells will drive everyone wild.

Dating the Dead

As a rule, guys who are alive are better kissers but that doesn't mean there isn't the occassional exception.


I have never dated a corpse myself. I do have a cousin that went out with a corpse, or rather she went out with the undertaker, and the corpse just happened to be in the back. I think they were delivering it to another city and took advantage of the free gas. She said it was a lovely drive through the moutains and all and all, a wonderful date.

Keep an open mind, my little chickadees!

Booksignings Coming Up

Dixie Lee Jackson's Guide to Cookin' and Kissin' will make its world debut at Lloyd Zimmer's Books and Maps, downtown Topeka, on February 4 at 5:30. The price is $15. Watch for me around 6:40 that morning on WIBW TV with Dave Johnson and Amanda Lanum.

This event coincides with First Friday Artwalk so after visiting Lloyd and me, check out the fabulous venues all over town.

The second booksigning is at the Topeka Shawnee County Public Library at 2 p.m., Sunday, February 6. This will include a presentation by myself. See all y'all there!

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Around eight inches of new snow in Topeka last night. That means "Snow Cream!"

Lots of facebook chatter about snow cream -- unheard of to some and a favorite childhood memory for others. I'm going to lean out the door soon and scoop some up myself. Get a big mixing bowl and get it plumb full of snow. CLEAN snow. Then sprinkle on about 3/4 cup of sugar (if you are accustomed to the taste of Splenda, it will work). Add a tablespoonful of Vanilla Extract. This the flavor of snow cream -- all the other ingredients, including the snow, are just about enhancing the flavor of vanilla. Add your milk very slowly because this mound of snow will just melt before your eyes. Mama used evaporated milk which adds a very rich flavor. Sweet milk will do fine, as long as it's whole milk. I can't imagine making this with skim milk.

Wrap up in a blanket and eat slowly because this will freeze you from the inside out, but it's worth it! I'm listening to B. B. King, "You Know I Love You," perfect snow cream song.

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And who hasn't had a wine emergency?