We love to eat. Ask us about our travels around the city or the world and we will inevitably tell you what we ate. From street tacos in San Antonio to the best burger in Chattanooga, we know our stuff. We also all love to cook and summer is a cook’s delight. Chattanooga is home to one of the country’s best farmer’s markets and we all take advantage of the offerings.
Being from the south (most of us, at least) we also bond over food. We would love to share our love of food with you. As the summer progresses, we will share our favorite recipes. Check back often.
Diane Patty is famous for being an amazing cook and entertainer extraordinaire. Ro-Tel Chicken is one of her children’s favorite dishes and is requested for family gatherings. The chocolate cream pie is Diane’s grandmother’s recipe that ‘has been around forever”. Diane makes her own scratch pie crust , but your secret is safe with us if you don’t.
Ro-Tel Chicken
4 Chicken breasts, cooked and chopped
1/2 cup chopped bell pepper
1 medium onion, chopped
1 stick margarine, softened
1 can Ro-Tel tomatoes
1 pound Velveeta cheese
1/2 teaspoon prepared mustard
1 (4 oz.) can sliced mushrooms
1 cup chicken broth
7 ounces spaghetti
Preheat oven to 350
Saute bell pepper, onion and mushroom. Add Ro-Tel, mustard, Velveeta and chicken broth: melt. Cook spaghetti while the mixture is melting. combine chicken, cheese mixture and spaghetti. Pour into a lightly greased dish and cook for 30 minutes. Yield 8-10 servings.
Chocolate Cream Pie
4 tablespoons cocoa powder
4 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 3/4 cup milk
3 eggs
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
5-6 tablespoons sugar
1 (9 inch) pie shell baked
Pre-heat oven to 300
Mix cocoa, flour and sugar thoroughly. Add milk slowly. Separate eggs, add beaten egg yolks, cook in a double boiler until thick. Add butter. Pour in pie shell. Whip egg whites to for soft peaks . Add 5-6 tablespoons of sugar gradually. Add meringue to top of pie. Bake at 300 degrees for 12-15 minutes. Turn oven down to 200 degrees and continue baking for 10 minutes.
Nana’s Pie Crust
2 cups self-rising flour
1 cup shortening
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vinegar
Add milk and vinegar together. Leave about 1/2 cup of the flour on counter to work with later. Mix remaining flour, salt and shortening together with mixer until crumbly. Using a fork, add milk mixture to flour mixture. Work in remaining flour, adding more if necessary. Roll crust as usual. Makes 2 single crusts. This recipe is very short, but bakes crispy and golden pie crusts.
Carmen Patty, world traveling foodie, loves to pair Elqui Carmenere Syrah or King Estate Pinot Gris with her favorite brushetta recipe.
Balsamic Brushetta
1 French baguette
2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1-2 small shallots, diced
1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
About 1/3-1/2 cup park skim ricotta cheese or 1/3-1/2 cup goat cheese (Carmen uses goat cheese and leans towards 1/3 cup)
1/3 cup pesto
Salt and pepper
Balsamic vinegar galore
Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees.
Carmen tip: Ask your grocer to slice your baguette into rounds to save time
Tanya Swann’s favorite dish to bring to a party? Martha Foose’s watermelon salsa, courtesy of Screen Doors and Sweet Tea.
Watermelon Salsa
4 cups diced, seeded watermelon cubes1 cup diced, seeded cantaloupe cube
2 green onions, white and green parts, thinly sliced on the diagonal
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon ancho chile powder
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon chopped basil
In a large bowl, combine the watermelon, cantaloupe, onions, jalapeno, salt, sugar, chile powder, cilantro, basil, and lime zest and juice. Stir together.
Chill for 30 minutes before serving.
Note: This gets very juicy. Serve with a lot of chips and be prepared for people to ask for the recipe!
Alexis’ grandmother is from New Zealand and makes lamb dishes all the time. When Alexis’ makes this dish it makes her think of her grandmother. The mint and Greek yogurt make this a light summer dish, which according to Alexis is “the best recipe that does not require a grill”. Recipe courtesy of Designlovfest.com
Lamb Meatball Pitas
Meatballs:
• 1 pound of ground lamb meat
• salt
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon breadcrumbs
• quarter onion diced finely
• 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
• 1/2 cup feta cheese
• 2 tablespoon avocado oil (olive oil is also fine)
Yogurt sauce:
• 2 cups greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup finely chopped mint
• 1/2 lemon juiced
Serve with :
• red onion as garnish
• 1 persian cucumber diced
• 4-8 small flatbreads
In a large bowl mix the lamb meat with big pinch of salt, paprika, garlic powder (or fresh garlic!), breadcrumbs , finely chopped onion, egg, feta cheese and cilantro. and with the palms of your hands roll into meatballs. In a skillet heat 2 tablespoons of avocado oil on medium heat. cook each meatball for about 8-12 minutes, until cooked through, rolling them around as to get all sides of the meatball cooked. set aside on paper towels.
For the yogurt, mix the mint and lemon juice with 1/2 teaspoon salt. set aside. To assemble start with your flatbread and a good smear of the mint yogurt, lamb meatballs, diced cucumber and slivers of red onion.
Savannah is always on the lookout for delicious gluten free desserts. These easy, peasy macaroon’s have only 7 ingredients but taste like heaven. Recipe courtesy of Alattefood.com
Easy Coconut Macaroons
4 egg whites
1/2 cup granulated sugar
a dash of salt (around 1/8-1/4 tsp)
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 cups sweetened coconut, shredded
Preheat oven 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, add egg whites, sugar, salt, almond extract, and vanilla extract.
With a hand mixer, beat egg white mixture until thick and frothy, about 2-3 minutes.
Add coconut to egg white mixture, and stir until combined.
With a small cookie scoop or two spoons, scoop the macaroons into 1″ balls. Place on the baking sheet, about 1-2″ apart.
Bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until the macaroons are golden brown.
Enjoy!
Lisa lives on a family farm in what was her grandmother’s house. Three generations still live on the farms that is home to a vineyard, chickens and garden. This recipe is fantastic with tomatoes straight out of the garden.
Marinated Cucumber and Tomato Salad 
3 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges
2 medium cucumbers, unpeeled and thinly sliced
1 small onion, sliced and separated into rings
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 tablespoons mayonaise
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
Combine tomato wedges, cucumber slices and onion rings in a large bowl. Set aside. Combine vinegar and remaining ingredients; beat using a wire whisk, until mixture is smooth. Pour dressing over vegetables, tossing gently. Cover and chill at least hours, stirring occasionally. Serve with a slotted spoon. Serves 6.
Mandi lives on a beautiful, private property complete with a fish stocked pond, chicken coop and amazing garden. When the zucchini gets growing, she makes batches of her delicious zucchini bread and shares it with her friends, family and clients.
Mandi’s Zucchini Bread
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2 1/4 cups white sugar
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups grated zucchini
1 cup chopped walnuts
Grease and flour two 8 x 4 inch pans. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
Sift flour, salt, baking powder, soda, and cinnamon together in a bowl.
Beat eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar together in a large bowl. Add sifted ingredients to the creamed mixture, and beat well. Stir in zucchini and nuts until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pans.
Bake for 40 to 60 minutes, or until tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack for 20 minutes. Remove bread from pan, and completely cool.
