I got this from here, I think, years and years ago. It's the BEST! Leila's Crispy Buttermilk Fried Chicken Makes approximately 8 servings This wonderful fried chicken was prepared for my family by Leila - an amazing woman who worked for us and practically raised my brother and I up from pups. It is full of delicious flavor and has the kind of crispy coating that you'll never forget. It is also fried chicken, so nowadays it's something that is served for special occasions only! 3-4 pounds cut-up frying chicken 2 cups buttermilk 2 cups self-rising flour Ground black pepper, to taste Paprika, to taste Garlic powder, to taste Vegetable oil for frying Step 1 - Cut your chicken into parts and wash well. Place in a large bowl and pour buttermilk over. Allow to sit for at least an hour. Step 2 - Mix and sift together flour, black pepper, paprika and garlic powder. Step 3 - Pour enough oil in a large, cast iron skillet to fill it about an inch deep. Heat to 375 degrees. Use a thermometer to carefully regulate the temperature and prevent the oil from burning. Step 4 - Remove each piece of chicken from the buttermilk and shake to remove the excess. Dredge in the seasoned flour. Step 5 - Drop pieces in the hot oil, four at a time. Do not crowd, as this will reduce the temperature of the oil and cause the chicken to absorb more grease. I like starting with dark meat pieces first and saving the white meat for the last. Cook each piece six minutes per side. Turn when the underside is nice and brown. To ensure doneness, cut a small hole in the thickest part - the juices should run clear. Step 6 - Serve and enjoy - either hot from the pan or room temperature! Despite some of the nutritional counts of this recipe, it is practically unbeatable for bringing back the taste (and smell) of home.

In case you're interested in adding international recipes, here are my two favourite meatball recipes, one from Germany and the other from Mallorca, Spain. (Poached meatballs in lemon & caper sauce.) Here is a German dish which originated in Königsberg, former capital of eastern Prussia, now part of Russia and called Kaliningrad. Having a pleasant, mild flavour, these meatballs are also a low calorie dish as they are cooked in water. They're well known in most German households and are often a family favourite. Ingredients: 1/2 lb finely ground veal (225 grams) 1/2 lb finely ground lean pork (225 grams) 1 large onion - peeled and finely chopped 8 finely chopped + 2 finely chopped later for sauce (total 50 grams) 2 TBS capers finely chopped + 1 TBS whole capers later for the sauce 1 lg egg, beaten 3 slices firm crusts removed, soaked in water juice of 1/2 lemon - or juice of whole lemon if it is very small 2 bay leaves 2 whole cloves (aromatic spice cloves) 1/2 TBS oil for frying onion 2 TBS flour mixed with water salt & freshly ground pepper 1. Sauté onion gently until golden and put aside. 2. Mix the two ground meats with 8 of the chopped anchovies, 2 TBS chopped capers, beaten egg and the soaked bread which has been squeezed dry. Then mix in the cooled fried onion and some salt and pepper. 3. In a wide saucepan put 3 3/4 cups of water and add some salt, the lemon juice, bay leaves and cloves. Bring to the boil. 4. Meanwhile form large meatballs with hands and place on a plate - about 14 meatballs. If water boils, turn off until all meatballs are formed. and bring it slowly back to the boil then lower heat and let simmer gently for 30 minutes. Turn meatballs once or twice during this time. 6. When cooked, remove meatballs with slotted spoon to a casserole and keep warm. Mix flour and cold water to a paste and add to the cooking water, stirring to thicken. Add the last two anchovies, chopped fine and 1 TBS whole capers. Bring to the boil and simmer 2 - 3 minutes. Pour and serve with boiled potatoes and green beans. I actually had more sauce than what appears here in the photo. I kept the rest in the pot on the stove for keeping hot. Note: They turned out very well. My lemon was VERY juicy and as I used all the juice, it was a bit too much. Go easy on the lemon juice if it is a large lemon. SharonCb ************************************* Here's a favourite dish from the Island of Mallorca, Spain. - 4 servings 700 grams ground veal (I use 1/2 pork & 1/2 veal) 3 eggs - beaten 1 medium onion - minced 2 cloves garlic - minced flat-leaf parsley - lots 2 teasp oregano 2 teasp thyme 2 teasp sweet paprika powder 2 teasp salt fresh ground black pepper cooking oil 3 medium very ripe tomatoes - (skinning is optional) chopped 1/2 cup milk & 1/4 cup water flour 4 - 6 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into chips (french fries) Utensils needed: - small frying pan about 6 inches diameter - medium or large frying pan or chip fryer - earthenware or ceramic stovetop casserole with lid 1) Mix meat with beaten egg, minced garlic, 2/3 of the chopped onion, salt & pepper, herbs and paprika. Add a few stalks of parsley chopped fine. Mix all together. 2) Pour about 1 cm oil into small frying pan and put on medium heat. Put some seasoned flour (s&p) on a dinner plate and using a small spoon, scoop out meat mixture and begin forming meatballs with help of floured hands, rolling them in flour as needed. Put them on floured plate and when you have six and oil is hot, put them carefully using spoon into the small frying pan to brown. 3) After two or three minutes turn meatballs over using a small spoon. Continue forming more meatballs. 4) As meatballs brown, remove and put them into casserole dish, adding the fresh ones to the pan, six at a time. 5) When done, strain out any burned bits in the frying pan oil and put in the rest of the onion with the tomato, as well as a handful of minced parsley. Cook on medium heat. 6) After a few minutes add the milk and water. Taste and if tomato flavour is too sharp add a pinch of sugar, also some salt. Pour sauce over meatballs in casserole, (optional is pour it through a sieve for finer sauce) put on low heat with lid and simmer very gently 20 minutes, checking and turning them over once. 8) Prepare potatoes and in oil in large frying pan or chip fryer begin making the french fries a few at a time, salting them and keeping them hot in oven. Put a few chips on top of the meatballs, add a bit of chopped parsley and serve at table with extra chips on each plate. Source: Adapted from 'Cocina selecta Mallorquin' SharonCb

Here's our friend Maria's everyday chicken mole or, as she explained to me long ago, amused by the new culinary fuss over "moles," chicken in gravy. Maria was the oldest of 10 and spent her childhood here in the U.S. babysitting and on a stool preparing meals while the adults were out in the fields. She's a fantastic cook, but this is simple home cooking, no chocolate, no "special" ingredients. I'm offering it because I never see it on recipe forums and it is delicious, definitely winter comfort food. Amounts are approximate, of course, and can be massaged as desired. Chicken broth Water and 2-3 pounds chicken parts, chicken, plus whatever you usually add, such as: 1/2 onion 2 cloves garlic 1 leafy stalk celery. 1 bay leaf 2 teaspoons thyme Salt and pepper to taste Gravy 3 tablespoons chicken fat (skimmed from chicken broth) 1/2 onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic 3 tablespoons flour Cumin seed, broken up, to taste, about 1 tablespoon or more Good quality chili powder to taste, start with a tablespoon if unsure 3 cups chicken broth Simmer first group of ingredients about 20 minutes, skimming foam as they approach a low boil, then turning heat down to simmer about 20 minutes for the typical supermarket chicken. Remove and cool chicken enough to pull apart into bite-size pieces. For gravy, lightly saute onion, garlic and spices in chicken fat skimmed from the broth. Sift flour into the pan, whisking quickly, and stir over low-medium heat until flour is cooked; will be bubbly but not browned. Then stir in defatted chicken broth and simmer until thickened. Salt as desired. At this point you can add more chili powder to taste if needed and simmer a bit more. We like it a nice medium chile-red, not pale and not dark. Then add the chicken and serve over whatever you like.

I'm the exception to the "normal" cooking methods when it comes to bean preparation because I sprout them first to remove the (ah hem) "noise", make them easier to digest, and to increase the nutrition. They also cook faster when they are sprouted first. I also dehydrate sprouted beans/lentils/peas which rehydrate and cook quickly, too. I keep buying pressure cookers thinking I'm missing out on something or an improved method of food preparation, and then giving them away. I just really don't like the high-heat process or the end product, but that's just me. Luckily there are all kinds of methods to choose from. I often serve a small amount of beans with a small amount of meat (not a full 3-oz. serving of meat) in order stretch the high-costing meat and still serve a full serving of protein. I store, and use, a large variety of beans as part of our home food storage and we eat a LOT of beans/peas/legumes breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I even made a recipe of (Refried) Bean Fudge at Christmas, and you can also use bean puree in baked goods as a fat substitute and increase the protein. Here's a How To for Sprouting Beans: http://www.insonnetskitchen.com/how-to-sprout-cook-beans/ Another interesting method for preparation is a passive heat method (aka fireless cooking) by soaking and "cooking" in a Thermos in boiling hot water (for a small amount) - or a Thermal Cooker (for a large amount), and Wonder Oven or a Hay Box methods. I also cook beans in quart jars in one of my solar ovens (the jars are painted black on the outside with heat-resistant paint to absorb heat from the sun). Thermal Cooking is great during the hot months to keep the heat out of the kitchen: http://www.thermoscooking.com/ You can also brine beans, which aids in keeping them from shredding/exploding and keep the inside creamy and tender. Here's a video from America's Test Kitchen for a How To: http://lifehacker.com/5906564/brine-beans-for-the-best-possible-flavor-and-texture Another great web site for bean info. is The Prudent Homemaker and her article "How to Eat Beans Every Night" - http://theprudenthomemaker.com/blog?view=entry&id=330 I also love the book, "Country Beans" by Rita Bingham. This link has some information and recipes from the book: http://realfoodliving.com/reviews/book-reviews/country-beans-by-rita-bingham -Grainlady