At Your Service ~ Recipes from the Heart
During these uncertain and challenging times, we need to give our local hospitality service workers and restaurant employees a loud round of applause. They have been providing us with the comfort of seeing the familiar faces (even in masks) of our favorite servers, bartenders, and chefs while we enjoy the food we love, whether we social distance in their establishments or pick it up to eat at home. We have appreciated their dedication and know that their families are important to them too. We reached out to some of these fine folks to see what they make for their own family and friends when they’re home. They were generous enough to share some of their favorite recipes with us and we’ve got everything from frog legs to fudge. And to sweeten it up just a little, we’re going to have dessert first. These are definitely keepers!
Landon’s “I Love Chocolate” Pie
We think the whole island knows Landon Moorhead but if you don’t, you can find her serving scrumptious food at Georgia Sea Grill. Landon sent us her Fudge Pie recipe because she loves chocolate! She says the original recipe came from The Joy of Cooking cookbook, which is her most favorite cookbook. And she is a little annoyed that this recipe is not in the current edition. But that doesn’t really matter, because Landon has modified the ingredients to include more (and more) chocolate. She is partial to dark chocolate and simplifies the recipe further by eliminating the separating and whipping of the egg white. We’re familiar with Landon’s culinary talents and we’re guessing her version is even better than the one in that ole cookbook. What do they know?!
Ingredients:
1 c. sugar
½ c. butter
2 eggs
3 oz. unsweetened chocolate, melted
1/3 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. favorite nuts, optional
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350°. Cream together sugar and butter. Beat in eggs and melted chocolate. Add in and beat flour, vanilla and nuts. Pour into greased 8² pie pan. Bake 30 minutes.
Georgia Sea Grill is located on Mallory Street and features wine and piano bars. They’re proud to serve an eclectic menu of delicious dishes using the freshest locally sourced seafood, meats, vegetables, fruits, herbs, and other ingredients. georgiaseagrill.com
Mama Terry's Drop Biscuit Strawberry Shortcake
Rose Barber went home after her dinner shift as a server at Tramici and made shortcake to be able send us her recipe and photos. We appreciate that extra effort in the wee hours of the morning! About her choice for the recipe she says, “Drop biscuit strawberry shortcake is special to my heart and one of my all-time favorite desserts to eat because it reminds me of my wonderful mama. Every year for birthdays she made me and my siblings a birthday dessert of our choosing. She absolutely loved the holidays and enjoyed making every one of them special. Strawberry Shortcake was my pick and I asked for it every year.” What makes this different from other strawberry shortcake recipes is the sweet drop biscuits. Rose explains, “I love fresh strawberries and biscuits instead of typical yellow sponge or angel food cake. I used to eat it that way until one year she made it with sweet drop biscuits. Every year after that year, I never looked back. There’s just something about a biscuit. I’m so thankful for the sweet memories that this dish brings me. I’ll always cherish and think of how precious my mama was when I make this sweet treat.”
Ingredients
For Biscuits:
2 c. Jiffy baking mix
2/3 c. milk
½ Tbsp. granulated sugar
3 Tbsp. salted butter, melted
For Strawberry Topping:
1 container (16 oz.) fresh strawberries
1 bag (16 oz.) frozen strawberries
For Whipping Cream & Garnish:
½ pint heavy whipping cream
1 c. powdered sugar
lemon zest
fresh mint to garnish
vanilla ice cream
vanilla extract
Preparation:
Thaw frozen berries in syrup. Slice fresh strawberries and add together in small mixing bowl. Set aside. To make whipped cream, pour heavy cream in a hand-held or stand up mixer. Mix in 2 dashes of vanilla extract and powdered sugar. Mix well until whipped. Chill in refrigerator until ready to serve.
Preheat oven at 450°. Mix all the biscuit ingredients together in a mixing bowl with a whisk. Drop mix on an ungreased cookie sheet using a tablespoon. Sprinkle tops with sugar. Spoon over biscuits the melted butter. Sprinkle more sugar on top. Bake for 10-12 minutes. They should be slightly brown on top.
To serve, place 1 or 2 biscuits in a bowl. Pour strawberries over biscuits. Scoop vanilla ice cream over shortcake and add a large dollop of whipped cream on top. Add a few fresh mint sprigs, lemon zest and a sprinkle of powdered sugar. Serve immediately. Delicious!
Tramici is one of three restaurants in the Halyard Restaurant Group and serves classic Italian items as well as an eclectic array of daily specials. The chicken piccata and the short rib ravioli are a couple of the EIL’s crew favorites. tramicirestaurant.com
Allison’s Sausage Dip
Allison Stowe from Hildy’s Pizza, located in the village on St. Simon’s Island, explains, “I chose my sausage dip recipe because it is really easy to make, and I've never met anyone who doesn't love it! It's a great appetizer for parties or the holidays and it's simple enough to throw together at the last minute, if necessary. Try it once, and I bet this will become a staple in your recipe book!” We bet she’s right.
Ingredients:
1 package Jimmy Dean breakfast sausage
1 package Philadelphia cream cheese
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1 bag Tostitos Scoops corn chips
Preparation:
Cook the sausage in a skillet on medium/high heat and drain. Add cream cheese until melted. Drain half of the liquid from the can of Rotel tomatoes; add to sausage/cream cheese mixture. Mix well and let cook through on medium heat. Serve with corn chips.
Hildy’s Pizza is one of the newer dining establishments on the island and is quickly becoming a local favorite for their awesome pizza. Be sure to try their Funky Chicken specialty pizza or grab a meatball sub. You won’t be sorry! hildyspizza.com
Marcolongo Family Meatballs & “Gravy”
Alissa Marcolongo, co-owner of Chubs Diner, sent us a recipe that has special meaning to her. Alissa’s whole family has learned to make this recipe, which came from her grandmother Theresa, just by watching her make it. Like all recipes that are handed down and learned in the kitchen, Alissa advises us that the measurements might not be exact, but it is all about her family, and remembering the taste, smell and love when they all gathered to feast. So, all measurements for spices, garlic, cheese, water, etc.can be modified to suit your taste for seasoning and thickness. She says, “Of course, none of us can master her perfection but we try to keep the tradition alive with our own memories of how my grandmother taught us. She is now 82 years old and battling severe dementia, so my 86 year old grandpop has been caring for her. We all prepare meals for them regularly and always make sure grandmom’s ‘gravy’ is a staple for them both.” You’ll note there’s no time/temperature for cooking the sauce. Alissa explains this is an all day process, started in the morning and lasting throughout the day until dinner time around 4 p.m. So adjust the heat of the burner to let the gravy bubble and simmer away! The time and love that goes into this recipe is what makes it so deliciously special.
Tomato “Gravy”
Ingredients:
2 cans (5 oz.) tomato paste
2 cans (5 oz.) water
1 can (28 oz.) crushed tomatoes
1 can (28 oz.) of water
Olive oil (to coat the bottom of your pot)
3/4 clove garlic
1 Tbsp. basil
1 Tbsp. oregano
1 Tbsp. salt
1 Tbsp. pepper
Preparation:
Sauté olive oil (just enough to cover pot) paste, garlic, salt, pepper, basil, oregano for a couple minutes. Then add water using tomato paste cans. Cool for a few minutes, put in crushed tomatoes and water using that can.
Sausage and Meatballs
Ingredients:
1 lb. ground meat (an equal mixture of pork sausage and ground beef)
1 lb. sweet & hot sausage links
1 Tbsp. parsley
1 egg
½ Tbsp. garlic salt
1 c. Italian breadcrumbs
3 cloves garlic, chopped
½ c. – 1 c. Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp. salt
1 Tbsp. pepper
Preperations:
Fry hot and sweet sausage and meatballs in a little garlic and olive oil then add into gravy. According to Alissa, “a little bit of that oil in gravy makes it taste even better!”
Chubs Diner is located in Edward Plaza on St. Simons Island and serves up daily blue plate specials and classic American Diner fare for breakfast and lunch. Their chicken and dumplings are the perfect comfort food! chubsdiner.com
Julia’s Artichoke Dip
Cynthia Wagner from Café Frederica shared a recipe from her grandmother too. “This was my maternal grandmother Julia’s recipe. It is a family favorite and one that we share at literally every holiday and birthday for generations now. We have a casserole dish that is specifically used anytime we make the artichoke dip and whoever has the dish is responsible for bringing the dip. I have had the dish for about five years now and I am expected to bring the dip without question! It’s a simple artichoke dip but it is delicious and feels like family to us.”
Ingredients:
1 c. Parmesan cheese, grated
1 c. mozzarella cheese, grated
1 tsp. fresh garlic, grated
2 cans artichoke hearts (packed in water)
1 c. mayonnaise
Preparation:
Drain one can of artichoke hearts and reserve the liquid from the second can. Chop artichoke hearts into bite size pieces. Mix all ingredients including reserved liquid and put into ovenproof baking dish. Bake for 30 mins at 350°. Serve with crackers, tortilla chips or French bread. Cynthia recommends blue tortilla chips.
Café Frederica is a longtime island favorite for locals and visitors alike. They serve breakfast and lunch all day with specialties like delicious quiche and blueberry stuffed French toast. cafefrederica.com
Grandmom Barbara’s Crockpot Mac & Cheese
Most nights you’ll find longtime server extraordinaire Cindy “B” Stephenson at Tramici after her workday at McGinty Gordon. Her children’s grandmother, Barbara, taught her how to make this recipe years ago. With Cindy’s legendary holiday get-togethers, her mac & cheese has filled many an islander’s plate.
Ingredients:
1 box (8 oz.) elbow macaroni
1 block (16 oz.) sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 ½ c. milk
1 can Carnation evaporated milk
3 eggs
salt and pepper to taste
Preparations:
Spray crockpot with Pam. Cook macaroni according to box directions. Layer crockpot with macaroni, then cheese over and over, endIng up with cheese on top. Mix milk and eggs, salt and pepper and pour over mixture of mac & cheese. Cook on low for 4 hours. Stir after one hour if you are inclined. Note: Barbara and Cindy add more mac & cheese to fill crockpot until full and sprinkle extra salt and pepper on top.
Tramici Neighborhood Italian is the place to be for all your favorite Italian dishes. And make sure you grab a pizza too! They make a next day great lunch. The margherita pizza, just simply yummy! tramicirestaurant.com
A Two-Fer from Tipsy’s
The folks from Tipsy McSway’s came through with recipes. General manager Jason Bates is an amateur chef who loves to cook. He prepared Beef Stew with Collard Greens & Pickled Onions on Cheesy Polenta to share with our readers. Tipsy’s Chef Eric Bond wasn’t about to be outdone and prepared Frog Legs Provencal for his "at home" dish.
Beef Stew
Ingredients:
For Stew:
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 c. diced carrots
1 c. diced onions
1½ lbs. beef tenderloin, cut into chunks
½ tsp. herbes de Provence
Pinch of dried sage
3 c. beef broth
1 tsp. cornstarch
salt & pepper
For Polenta:
2 c. chicken stock
2 c. water
1 c. cornmeal
3 Tbsp. butter
½ c. Parmesan cheese
¼ c. sharp cheddar cheese
pepper
For Easy Instant Pot Collard Greens:
2 tsp. olive oil
2 slices uncooked bacon
4 oz. country ham
1 small chopped onion
3/4 c. chicken broth
1/3 c. apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. fresh orange juice
½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
16 oz. collard greens lightly chopped
Preparation:
Heat olive oil in a large skillet or stew pot over medium heat. Add carrots and onion and cook for 5-7 minutes until onions are translucent, stirring frequently. Add chunks of beef and cook until all edges are browned and no longer pink. Season with salt & pepper and add herbes de Provence and sage. Add enough beef broth to cover meat. Heat until boiling then reduce to simmer. Cook uncovered for 2 hours. In the last 10 minutes combine cornstarch and water and add to the stew. It will help thicken it a little. After the stew has been cooking about 90 minutes, start the polenta. Add water and chicken stock to a large pot and cook until boiling. Whisk in cornmeal, then lower heat to med-low. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon for 20-25 minutes until polenta has thickened considerably. During this time, put collard greens in the Instant Pot and cook for 16 minutes. Remove polenta from heat and add butter, parmesan, cheddar and pepper. Spoon the polenta onto a plate and top with the stew and collard greens. Jason adds homemade pickled onions too.
Frog Legs Provencal
Ingredients
For Sauce:
5 Tbsp. olive oil
1 qt. fresh tomatoes, seeded medium diced
3-5 cloves minced garlic
1 minced white onion
1 c. chicken stock
2-3 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 c. white wine
1 c. tomato juice
salt & pepper
For Frog Legs:
2 c. all-purpose flour
salt & pepper
12 frog legs
5 Tbsp. olive oil
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
Juice of a large lemon
Preparation:
For the sauce: In a large pan heat oil, add tomatoes, garlic and onions and sweat until slightly softened. Deglaze the pan with wine and simmer briefly. Add chicken stock, tomato juice, tomato paste and cook for 3 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low and cook until sauce is slightly thickened.
For the frog legs: Mix together flour, salt and pepper in a shallow bowl. Toss frog legs in flour until completely coated. Heat saucepan over medium heat until hot. Add oil to pan and sauté legs until golden brown. Transfer legs to the sauce and braise until sauce is thickened. Swirl in butter and lemon juice. Serve with steamed rice and a seasonal veggie.
Tipsy McSway is located on Newcastle Street in historic Brunswick and is a true neighborhood bar and grill in the very best sense. From burgers and beer to beignets, they’re got something to please every palate. tipsymcsways.com
ON THE COVER - Pancakes
In a past issue, we made the mistake of having a cover featuring delectable looking food without a recipe to accompany it, and, boy, did we hear about it. You wanted that recipe! So, here’s a recipe from us to you for some good old fashion pancakes just like you see on the cover. Make sure you splurge and top them with some real maple syrup from Vermont or your favorite fresh fruit. Then again, if you’re not a stickler about making your own, head over to Palmer’s Village Café and order a plate of the pancakes that earned a top five ranking from Travel + Leisure. Buttermilk, healthy grains, or banana pudding cakes, you can’t go wrong!
Ingredients:
1½ c. all-purpose flour
3½ tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. white sugar
1¼ c. milk
1 egg
3 Tbsp. butter, melted
Preparation:
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk, egg and melted butter; mix until smooth. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 c. for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.
