Recipe Revival Southern Classics Reinvented for Modern Cooks

January 19, 2017 by
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Recipe Revival: Southern Classics Reinvented for Modern Cooks by the Editors of Southern Living Magazine is a beautiful book with gorgeous photographs and home-spun recipes that will make your mouth water (and I write that phrase disliking the words “mouth water”). 
 
For five decades, Southern Living has been the authority on Southern food and cooking being anchored by contributions from readers who not only share their family favorites but also memories that these dishes invoke.

Now, in Recipe Revival, they revisit many of those time-tested recipes with over 200 recipes encompassing breakfast and brunch, lunchtime, cocktails, sideboard, dinner and desserts. The revival stems from a new generation of today’s Southern cooks who have become inventive with the way Southern ingredients are used.
 
Recipes share a side bar that contains either a “Flashback” detailing the dishes’ history or a “Fresh Take” which gives you an update of a classic recipe such as giving candied pecans a facelift with the addition of rosemary. Timelines are also scattered throughout the book showing how a recipe transformed over the decades as well as variations and notes on Southern hospitality.  I particularly enjoy the “Way we Dined” listings in each section that present a theme and a list of recipes for that particular decade.  For instance – a 1980s cocktail party or a 1960s Leisurely Brunch menu is given along with the recipes. 
 
The vast majority of the recipes are made from scratch with only a very few listing a refrigerated pie crust or a can of cream of chicken soup in the ingredients (such as the recipe we are sharing today). With those recipes, you can sub out a homemade crust – there are recipes in the book for various types of pastry crust – or make your own version of cream of chicken soup. Recipe Revival isn’t an old-school community type book that calls for repeated processed ingredients – it is pure comfort food from scratch with few exceptions.
 
Courtesy of Oxmoor House and Time Inc. we are sharing a recipe for King Ranch Chicken and direct you to our contest page for a chance at one of three copies being given away to our U.S. members.


 
King Ranch Chicken (1960s) 
 
Texans claim bragging rights for King Ranch Chicken, but its tortilla-layered origins are unclear. The legendary King Ranch politely declines ownership. Whether it’s a riff on chilaquiles or an indulgent chile con queso twist on chicken à la king, one thing’s for certain-it’s one of the few casseroles whose mainstream popularity transcends both age and gender.
 
Serves 6   Hands-on 15 minutes   Total 1 hour 35 minutes

1 (3-pound) whole chicken, cut up
1 medium onion, sliced 
1 celery rib, cut into 3-inch pieces 
2 1⁄2 teaspoons table salt 
1 (10 3⁄4-ounce) can cream of  chicken soup 
1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chiles 
8 (6-inch) fajita-size flour tortillas, cut into 2-inch strips 
2 cups (8 ounces) grated sharp Cheddar cheese 
 
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish. Place the chicken, onion, celery, and salt in a large saucepan with water to cover. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat to medium, and cook 30 minutes or until the chicken is done. Remove the chicken, reserving the broth. Discard the skin and bones, and cut the chicken into cubes. 

2. Pour 1 cup reserved broth through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a saucepan, discarding solids. Stir in the cream of chicken soup and tomatoes. (Discard remaining broth.)

3. Cook the broth mixture over medium-high until thoroughly heated.

4. Layer equal amounts of the tortilla strips, cubed chicken, broth mixture, and Cheddar cheese in the prepared baking dish, repeating the layers until all ingredients are used. 

5. Bake at 350°F for 40 minutes.
 
Excerpted from Recipe Revival: Southern Classics Reinvented for Modern Cooks by the Editors of Southern Living.
Category: Book News, Recipes

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3 Comments

  • gjelizabeth  on  January 20, 2017

    Please check the fractional measurements in the recipe. Currently they are showing 103/4 oz. can cream of chicken soup and 21/2 teaspoons table salt. thanks for the post and the recipe!

  • rchesser  on  January 20, 2017

    Looking forward to checking this book out!

  • melmaren  on  January 23, 2017

    Love love love cheese grits! <3

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