Kwanzaa Recipes

This oddly wonderful combination of ingredients make a surprisingly different and delicious soup that everyone will enjoy! Serve with a dollop of sour cream on top and some crusty bread for dipping. YUM!

You can't just go to any restaurant and get smothered chicken like you would if you went down to the urban neighborhoods in Houston. This meal of browned chicken in a savory chicken gravy sauce is best when served over a bed of white rice.

An easy spicy dish. Adjust the spices to your needs - less Creole Seasoning if you like it mild, add chili powder or cayenne pepper for more kick! This is also good with salsa on top. You can substitute 1/2 pound dried black-eyed peas, cooked for the canned black-eyed peas if you wish.

Since I live in the South people refer to these cookies as Benne Wafers, they are actually Sesame Seed Cookies. Toasting benne (sesame) seeds develops their flavor and also gives these cookies a slightly crunchy texture.

This delicious stew is inspired by my friend from Sierra Leone, West Africa, who cooks often for her family. Many ingredients can be modified. This is kind of a 'whatever is handy now' recipe. You can use a whole roasting chicken cut into bite-sized pieces, or just breasts and thighs if you prefer. Other suggested additions are turnips, carrots and celery. This looks great served over white rice with a garnish of fresh chopped cilantro, parsley or unsalted peanuts.

Okra and onions are fried with bacon, then simmered with tomato and corn in this delicious side dish that is especially good served alongside cornbread. This recipe is a longtime family favorite.

This recipe was shared with me by a special friend in Atlanta, GA. It has long been a favorite, and everyone who tastes it says it is the best they have ever had.

As a good Southern gardener, I find myself bringing in okra by the armload nearly every other day. Stewed okra is great, but for a little variety, we like to roast ours from time to time. This is so simple and easy and the okra tends to not be nearly as gummy or slimy when roasted. Chopped tomato makes a great addition when we have some handy.

This actually uses my breading for Chicken Fried Steak---my husband suggested we try it with chicken breasts, and it was delicious!

This is as Southern as you can get.

If you like greens you will love this recipe. The bacon and onions give them a wonderful flavor. Add more red pepper for a little more spice.

A simple Southern classic! Okra is dredged in seasoned cornmeal, then fried until golden.