Category Archives: Food
Eggs are breakfast stars
By Olivia Fowler
For the Courier
ofowler@thepccourier.com
Breakfast is one of my favorite meals.
The recipes featured here make something special out of breakfast with egg recipes that are delicious and don’t show up all the time.
Some of these might take a little more time than your ordinary breakfast fare, but there’s always the weekend.
Enjoy.
Favorite desserts of the First Ladies
By Olivia Fowler
For the Courier
ofowler@thepccourier.com
The angel food cake featured this week was always served at the White House for Eleanor Roosevelt’s birthday. It was also a favorite cake of Rachel Jackson.
Abigail and John Adams were frugal New Englanders who favored simple foods, and the Indian Pudding recipe was an old and treasured favorite of theirs.
Mary Todd Lincoln is reported to have constantly been trying to get Abraham to eat, as he often was so immersed in work he forgot to eat lunch and frequently settled for an apple or piece of cheese. This Courting Cake is said to have been one of his favorites.
Dolley Madison’s Layer Cake was often served at the White House. She was said to be a genial hostess and enjoyed entertaining.
I especially like the Angel Food Cake recipe and think it’s much better than what you can buy. Enjoy.
Marinades liven up vegetable sides
By Olivia Fowler
For the Courier
ofowler@thepccourier.com
There are times when we all get tired of our regular way of serving fresh vegetables.
I like to try new versions of old favorites, and marinades are one way to get the vegetables in your people without hearing complaints about being tired of the dish. The marinated carrot recipe has been around for some time, but the current version isn’t heavy on the sugar.
So to all you meat and potato people, add some kick to your meal with one of this week’s featured recipes.
New Year’s dishes bring good fortune
By Olivia Fowler
For the Courier
ofowler@thepccourier.com
All over the world, people believe that serving certain dishes on New Year’s Eve or New Year’s 
Day will bring a prosperous New Year.
Greens of almost any kind are chosen to represent folding money, pork is considered a prosperous meat and peas and beans represent coins in many cultures.
In the South, especially the Carolinas, collard greens, black-eyed peas and rice are universally thought to be most important for New Year’s dishes.
This tradition can be traced to several other regions, primarily Africa, France and the Caribbean.
The pork roast and saurkraut tradition is favored in states with strong German and Dutch heritages, and the orange brandy cake is a Greek Island tradition.
They’re all good. And I hope prosperity will come to you immediately after eating at least one of these dishes.
PACK A PUNCH THIS CHRISTMAS
By Olivia Fowler
For the Courier
ofowler@thepccourier.com
All four of these Christmas punches are non-alcoholic and can be enjoyed by children and adults.
They all taste good, are a little different and look beautiful in a punch bowl.
Freezing some of the punch with garnish in a Bundt cake pan adds a really festive touch to your holiday table.
Enjoy.
Easy candies for Christmas
By Olivia Fowler
For the Courier
ofowler@thepccourier.com
These four candy recipes are fast, tasty and a little different from the usual Christmas presentation is important.
With the exception of the peppermint bark recipe, they are not just for Christmas, but can be enjoyed at other times of the year.
They also make excellent gifts, as they are easily packed in tins and distributed to friends and family.
Coconut cakes for the holidays
By Olivia Fowler
For the Courier
ofowler@thepccourier.com
If you’re trying to decide what special cake to make for the upcoming holidays, think about making one of these special traditional cakes to
put the finishing touches on an outstanding meal.
These cakes are both made from scratch, just as our grandmothers baked them, and guaranteed to be just as good.
I particularly like the seven-minute frosting recipe, and it is a go-to favorite.
Sweet potato casseroles revisited
By Olivia Fowler
For the Courier
ofowler@thepccourier.com
When Thanksgiving rolls around each year, we immediately think of the
traditional dishes served at our particular family tables, sometimes for generations.
Just in case you’re looking for a different take on sweet potato casserole, minus the marshmallow topping, check out these recipes.
There’s an unusual savory version minus sugar and others that are leaning toward the dessert end of the table.
So if you want to break slightly with tradition, prepare one of these and see what they say.
Happy Thanksgiving!
A different spin on Green Beans
By Olivia Fowler
For the Courier
ofowler@thepccourier.com
When local green beans start coming in, it can become too much of a good thing unless you find some different ways to cook them.
I like green beans as well as the next person, but I need to have different options when it comes to cooking and serving them.
This week there are four recipe options for this popular bean that are not the traditionally accepted way to cook them in our region.
Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but variety is the spice of life.
Fresh Tomatoes Reign Supreme
By Olivia Fowler
For the Courier
ofowler@thepccourier.com
Every now and then I come across someone who says “I don’t like tomatoes.”
After careful research, it usually turns out that this poor soul has never eaten a fresh, home-grown tomato, a totally different animal than the so-called vine-ripened shipping tomatoes available in grocery stores, which have the texture of Styrofoam and the flavor of cardboard.
If the tomato-less person can be convinced to take just one bite from an authentic home-grown tomato, they will never go tomato-less again.
These recipes range from the very simple to the more complicated, but all are good. And if you don’t have time to prepare any of this, a simple tomato sandwich is very hard to beat.
