Darlene's Redneck Recipes~Down Home Cooking

DARLENE'S REDNECK RECIPES

 I decided a while back that I would put together a recipe book for the younger girls in our Southern family that would reflect how their grandmothers and great-grandmothers cooked. I'm one of the last members of my family who grew up with these women and their food. That being said, I didn't want it to be just another cookbook.

I love writing humor, and I knew I had the perfect character for it. Darlene Higginbottom. She made her first appearance in a 50's Southern comedy I wrote called "Laid to Rest." Actually, she was never supposed to be the main character, but once she came on stage, I knew the story belonged to her and not Richie and Tommy Ray as I had planned. Darlene is an outspoken, ambitious, assertive country girl who believes you should dream big. Her dream is to become a movie star like her idol, Marilyn Monroe. I always thought of Darlene as looking like Marilyn and acting like Lucille Ball or maybe Madea! Darlene has always been one of my most popular characters. I've had more readers ask me about her than any other character I've written. 

Then I had to come up with a title. Darlene's Cookbook was meh. So I finally settled on Darlene's Redneck Recipes: Humor and Home Cooking. Darlene, who is from the '50s, talks about cast-iron skillets, cooking pies, picking poke sallet, etc. Plus she adds comments to the recipes every so often. Her comments and stories are all fictional, but they are based on things that I recall being told about. I talked to my friends to see what they remembered about their mothers cooking and meals at the house. 

Regarding the recipes, my one stipulation was to use only recipes that required simple ingredients found in most kitchens. Nothing fancy or hard to make. Many of the recipes came from my recipe box and recipes that were handed down to my family and friends. 

The cookbook contains my mother's chocolate pie recipe. It is the only recipe of hers that I have in her handwriting. She wrote "very good" at the end and circled it. That's true. That chocolate pie is awesome. Other recipes I had accumulated over the years were some from our patients at the medical clinic where I worked years ago. The patients used to make goodies for us at Christmas. Two of my favorites were Miss Jessie's sour cream pound cake, which was heavenly, and Miss Amelia's pineapple filling which she put in little tart shells. They brought me their recipes, which I still have and included in the book. They have both been dead for many years, but their cooking lives on. Then there are the co-worker's recipes like the one for a lemon pie that was written on a Post-It note.

In my quest for recipes and how women once cooked, I headed to a country beauty owned by an old friend of mine. On Fridays, she does all her "old ladies" hair for the weekend, especially church on Sunday. So I went out there on a Friday with a notebook in hand and sat and talked with women who came in about cooking and what memories they had of their mothers and grandmothers in the kitchen. Plus I gathered more recipes. 

The women I grew up around cooked constantly. I had one aunt who practically lived in her kitchen. She was always in the kitchen cooking something. When we went to her house, we all sat at a big white and chrome table that was in the dining area of the kitchen. We never sat in the living room, and I don't remember her ever being anywhere but in the kitchen puttering from the stove to the sink. 

She couldn't drive as was true of many of the farm-raised women who were my kin and ancestors. They lived on farms, milked cows, had chickens, hogs, and vegetable gardens.

They used what they had on hand when they started cooking a meal. They didn't have ready access to grocery stores, and they didn't have the money for specialty items. So all their dishes were simple and homemade. I tried to stay true to that in this book.

In Darlene's cookbook, I leave it up to the cook to add whatever additional spices, herbs, or flavors they want to try. That's how new recipes are created, so be creative in the kitchen and enjoy some good food!

From "Frying Everything" to "Cooking Critters", here's a list of all the recipes:

SOUTHERN SWEET TEA

BRIDAL SHOWER PUNCH

EASY HOT CHOCOLATE

HOT APPLE CIDER

PARTY-TIME PUNCH

PRAYER MEETING PUNCH

CLAYBURN’S UDC CHAPTER’S MINT JULEP

RED VELVET PUNCH

HALLOWEEN WITCHES’ BREW

CAPTAIN KATHY’S PEG LEG COCKTAIL

HO-HO-HO CHRISTMAS PUNCH

PUCKER UP LEMONADE

THE MUST-HAVE CAST IRON SKILLET

BREAD & BISCUITS

BASIC SOUTHERN BISCUITS

DONNA JEAN’S SAWMILL GRAVY FOR BISCUITS

MISS BRADLEY’S CAT HEAD BISCUITS

MAYONNAISE DROP BISCUITS

MAYONNAISE DROP ROLLS

SUPER BUTTERY DROP ROLLS

GARLIC CHEESE BREAD

COUSIN LEROY GOOCH’S

BEER BISCUITS

TOMMY RAY’S MOMMA’S MUFFINS

PAPPY HIGGINBOTTOM’S HUSH PUPPIES

DARLENE’S DELIGHTFUL FRENCH TOAST

BANANA NUT BREAD

THE SOUTH’S MOST BASIC CORNBREAD

DARLENE’S DIVINE SLAW & DRESSING

GOOD WITH EVERYTHING COLESLAW

MISS INEZ’S SWEET AND SOUR SLAW

CHILLED FRUIT SALADS

FROSTY STRAWBERRY SALAD

SOUR CREAM FRUIT SALAD

MISS ALMA’S BOOZY FRUIT SALAD

CHILLED ORANGE DELIGHT

BUTTER PECAN SALAD

COOL CHERRY SALAD

CHERRY PINEAPPLE CHILLED SALAD

STRAWBERRY PINEAPPLE SALAD (Pink Stuff)

SNICKERS AND APPLE SALAD

CAULIFLOWER SALAD

SUPER SPINACH SALAD

RAY BABY’S ENGLISH PEA SALAD

THE BEST HOMEMADE CHICKEN SALAD EVER!

SAUERKRAUT SALAD

HOT CHEESE & PINEAPPLE SALAD

DARLENE’S FAVORITE CORNBREAD SALAD

QUICK SNACK CHICKEN SALAD

POKEWEED AKA POKE SALLET

POKE SALLET RECIPE

SOUP RECIPES

HILLBILLY HAMBURGER-VEGETABLE SOUP

BROCCOLI CHEESE AND POTATO SOUP

FIRED-UP TACO BEAN SOUP

POTATO SOUP

COUNTRY CORN AND BLACK-EYED PEA SOUP

GARBAGE SOUP

BEST BARBECUE HAM

EASY BAKED HAM

HAM GLAZE

SLOW COOKED BEEF ROAST

CHEESE, MACARONI, AND BEEF BAKE

PERFECT PORK CHOP BAKE

CHICKEN PARMESAN

GRANNY HIGGINBOTTOM’S EASY CHICKEN AND DRESSING WITH GIBLET GRAVY

MUST HAVE GIBLET GRAVY for DRESSING

MRS. UNDERWOOD’S CHICKEN POT PIE

CHICKEN TORTILLA DUMPLINGS

CHICKEN SPAGHETTI

LEMON CHICKEN

COCA-COLA CHICKEN

CRISPY UNFRIED CATFISH

SUPER EASY CROCK-POT STEAK

CHESTER CALHOUN’S CHILI

QUICK CHILI FOR BLACKBERRY WINTER

COOKING A ROAST

BARBECUED PORK ROAST

LAZY MAN’S ROAST

BARBECUED PORK CHOPS

BREAKFAST EGG DELIGHT

WHO DAT SHRIMP BAKE

OPAL PEARL’S BAKED BEANS AND GROUND BEEF

PAPPY’S REAL GOOD BAKED FISH

DARLENE’S FAVORITE MEATLOAF

ABOUT SOUTHERN VEGETABLES

SCRUMPTIOUS SWEET POTATOES

CANDIED APPLE SWEET POTATOES

DARLENE’S FAVORITE SWEET CREAM-STYLE CORN

PURPLE HULL PEAS

GOOD WITH EVERYTHING TATER SALAD

WHITE BEANS & PINTO BEANS

REAL MAC AND AMERICAN CHEESE

COUNTRY TURNIP GREENS/COLLARD GREENS

TRISHY’S FAVORITE SQUASH DRESSING

BAYOU RED BEANS AND RICE

ALABAMA-STYLE HOMINY

WHIPPED POTATOES

CARROT PUDDING

LIP-SMACKING GREEN BEANS

GRANNY'S GREEN BEANS

MAUDIE’S SPINACH

STUFFED BELL PEPPERS

GRILLED CABBAGE

FRIED GREEN TOMATOES

FRIED TATERS

FRIED ONION RINGS

FRIED OKRA

FRIED OKRA PATTIES

FRIED CAULIFLOWER

FRIED SQUASH

FRIED CUCUMBERS

FRIED RICE

FRIED CHICKEN LIVERS

SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN

FRIED OYSTERS

MISS CAROLYN’S FRIED BUTTERMILK SALMON PATTIES

FRIED SALMON PATTIES

FRIED APPLES

FRIED PICKLES

FILL-YOU-UP POTATO CASSEROLE

CHICKEN CASSEROLE

TATER-TOPPED CASSEROLE

SWEET PEA CASSEROLE

TUNA DELIGHT CASSEROLE

PARMESAN CHEESE POTATO CASSEROLE

GREEN BEANS AND GROUND BEEF CASSEROLE

HEAVENLY HAMBURGER CASSEROLE

SPINACH CASSEROLE

TASTY TURNIP GREEN CASSEROLE

WATER CHESTNUTS AND RICE CASSEROLE

OLD MAN BOWER’S CRABMEAT CASSEROLE

CLEMMIE’S SQUASH AND PECAN CASSEROLE

GRANNY’S TURNIP GREEN CASSEROLE

LOTSA CORN CASSEROLE

EAT YOUR VEGETABLES CASSEROLE

STACKED TO HEAVEN CASSEROLE

ASPARAGUS CASSEROLE

YELLOW SQUASH CASSEROLE

RICHIE’S FAVORITE RICE AND TACO CASSEROLE

HUNTER’S BREAKFAST CASSEROLE

THE BLUE RIBBON CHOCOLATE PIE

MERINGUE TOPPING FOR PIES

EASIEST COBBLER EVER

MELT IN YOUR MOUTH PECAN PIE

ALL AMERICAN APPLE PIE

CRUSTLESS COCONUT PIE

EFFORTLESS FRIED PIES

COCONUT MERINGUE PIE

GOOEY MOLASSES PIE

PEANUT BUTTER PIE

LEMON ICEBOX PIE

LUSCIOUS LAYERED LEMON PIE

MISS JESSIE’S SOUR CREAM POUND CAKE

AUNT ALTA’S HOMEMADE CHOCOLATE CAKE and FROSTING

CHOCOLATE FROSTING FOR CAKE

MANDARIN ORANGE CAKE

PINEAPPLE ANGEL FOOD CAKE

OLD-TIMEY ORANGE CAKE

GRANNY FRANK’S NO-BAKE FRUIT CAKE

MY 5-MINUTE PINEAPPLE UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

SUPERQUICK CAKE IN A CUP

LUCINDA LEDBETTER STROUD’S MINIATURE FRUIT CAKES

HERSHEY CHOCOLATE CAKE

STRAWBERRY CAKE

HOSTESS CUPCAKE CAKE

MISSISSIPPI MUD CAKE

CANDY AND COOKIES

COCONUT CHOCOLATE PECAN DELIGHT

PEANUT BRITTLE

PERFECT POPCORN BALLS

PECAN NUT ROLL

RAY BABY’S OATMEAL CHOCOLATE COOKIES

CHOCOLATE COBBLER

BROWNIE DELIGHT

BIG RED’S YUMMY PEANUT BUTTER AND CORN FLAKE TREATS

TRISHY’S WHITE PECAN BALLS

BIG RED’S IRRESISTIBLE CHOCOLATE GRAVY

COCONUT MACAROONS

OREO COOKIE AND ICE CREAM DESSERT

COUSIN CLEMMIE’S CHOCOLATE STRAWBERRIES

CLAYBURN GARDEN CLUB LA-TI-DA TEACAKES

BLUEBERRY PINEAPPLE TREAT

LEMON WHIPPED CREAM COOKIES

EASY CHOCOLATE FUDGE

BEST EVER HOMEMADE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

GLENDA FAYE’S HAMBURGER BUN PEACH COBBLER

MISS AMELIA’S PINEAPPLE FILLING

MOMMA’S BEST-EVER BANANA PUDDING WITH MERINGUE

DIVINE LOUISIANA PRALINES

HOT PEPPER SAUCE

HOT PEPPER JELLY

HOT TOMATO RELISH

SLUGBURGER RECIPE

SLOPPY JOES

CHEESY DOGS

PRONTO PUPS

STONE GROUND GRITS

CHEESE GRITS

OPAL PEARL’S RICE AND RAISIN PUDDING

AWESOME APPLE BUTTER

AT THE FAIR CANDIED APPLES

SALTED PECANS

DARLENE’S QUICKIE JAM

SAUSAGE BALLS

DELICIOUS DEVILED EGGS

BRING ON THE CHIPS SPINACH DIP

RICHIE’S DRUNK HOT DOGS

CHERYL’S PERKY PIMENTO CHEESE

SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE

SMOKED TUNA DIP

TOMMY RAY’S TASTY BARBECUE SAUCE

THOUSAND ISLAND DRESSING

CHEESE FONDUE

YUMMY FRESH FRUIT DIP

DEVILED HAM DIP

ROLL TIDE DIP

TOMMY RAY’S SAUERKRAUT AND WEINERS

AWESOME TRACTOR PULL DIP

NEW ORLEANS BEIGNETS

GLAZED CINNAMON RAISIN MUFFINS

DEER ROAST

PAPPY HIGGINBOTTOM’S DEER TENDERLOIN

WILD QUAIL BAKE

UNCLE FRED’S DUCK CASSEROLE

WILDERNESS RABBIT FIXINGS

RICHIE’S FROG LEG FRY

DONNA JEAN’S SQUIRREL DUMPLINGS

Here's a photo of the interior of the 6x9 cookbook:

At the present time, the cookbook is available in print and ebook on most ebook retailers.  Ebook is 99¢  Paperback on Amazon is $8.99

Kindle  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Z1DJVMF

Paperback https://www.amazon.com/dp/1688547436

Other ebook retailer list: https://books2read.com/DarleneRedneckRecipes

If you enjoy the cookbook, please consider leaving a review. I appreciate it so much!

And the book will make a great Christmas stocking stuffer! Or consider giving it as a fun gift at a bridal shower. 

Thank you so much for stopping by. Darlene loves comments so you're invited to leave a comment and say hello!  Happy eating!!!