Cooking with Paula Deen March/April 2018

THE DAYS ARE GETTING LONGER, and I’m so happy to welcome back the warmer weather here in Savannah. This is one of my favorite times of the year to be outdoors because my garden is starting to wake up after its long winter nap. It doesn’t take long for asparagus, peas, spinach, and other tender and sweet veggies to make their way into my cooking, like in the delicious recipes on page 35. Springtime also means Eastertime, and one of my favorite traditions is making Easter baskets for my grandchildren. This year, I’m using baskets to hold pretty floral arrangements for my dining tables for our family Easter lunch. Check out the menu for the special meal on page 29, and get all the details on the baskets on page 67. If your…

MADE IN THE SOUTH MOD SQUAD MARTHA After creating a successful catering business to serve Music Row’s executives and musicians in Nashville, Tennessee, Melissa Ann Barton was encouraged to turn her love for unique entertaining into a career. Her clients lovingly dubbed her “Mod Squad Martha” because of her jack-of-all-trades, hip-meets-homemaker persona, and she soon began selling her signature finishing sauces and marinades. Whether you drizzle the vinaigrette on a salad or flavor your salmon with the Moroccan rub and marinade, her condiments will turn your daily meals into special occasions. Melissa Ann also partners with her friend Emmylou Harris to support Crossroads Campus and Bonaparte’s Retreat, organizations that help homeless children and animals connect and grow through the healing power of the human-animal bond. Both organizations invest their time and resources into…

1. Dry dishes in vintage style with this crochet-trimmed Grandma’s Kitchen Towel Set. $26 for set of 4, retrobarn.com 2. Squeeze citrus while measuring the juice and leaving pith behind with this Pressed Glass Juicer. $20, relishdecor.com 3. Organize your clutter with these assorted-size wooden Sebastian Crates inspired by boxes used to collect fall’s apple harvest. $29.99–$39.99 each, worldmarket.com 4. Tote flowers, produce, and all your other finds in this catchall, carry-all Farmers Market Bag. $24, nobleniches.com 5. Mix batches of pancakes, cookies, and more in this verdant Mason Cash 4.25-Quart Mixing Bowl. $39.99, bedbathandbeyond.com 6. Serve your morning breakfast juice and afternoon iced tea from this pretty ceramic Maize Pitcher. $45.99, birchlane.com 7. Keep pests away from fresh fruit indoors and out with this Mesh Apple Fruit Basket. $9.99, kovot.com 8. Enjoy appetizers, snacks, sandwiches, and…

Last winter, for the sixth consecutive year, Paula’s sons, Jamie and Bobby Deen, joined the Marne Community & Spouses’ Club (MCSC) of Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield in Georgia for a luncheon and fund-raiser in support of military members and their families. The brothers entertained attendees with stories of their families and Coco the dog and gave excellent tips and recipe ideas for family holiday meals. Jamie and Bobby were presented Merry Christmas signs by club president Nina Elison and cookie baskets filled with creations baked by the club’s “Sugar Momma,” Laura Theising. The MCSC is a nonprofit social and welfare organization whose mission is to support Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield families and the greater Marne community. Through their fund-raising events, the club contributes to the local community…

LOUISIANA CRAWFISH BREAD MAKES ABOUT 6 SERVINGS 1 (12-ounce) loaf French bread, halved lengthwise 2 tablespoons olive oil ½ pound andouille, finely chopped ¼ teaspoon kosher salt ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper 4 tablespoons butter, divided ¾ cup thinly sliced leeks ½ cup thinly sliced celery ¾ cup finely chopped shallots 3 cloves garlic, minced ½ cup finely diced bell pepper 1 pound cooked Louisiana crawfish tails 1 tablespoon chopped fresh, flat-leaf parsley 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives 1 teaspoon dry mustard ¼ teaspoon ancho chile pepper 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack & Cheddar cheese, divided ¾ cup shredded Italian cheese blend 1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 2. Remove soft centers of bread from both halves; reserve bread for another use. Place loaf halves scooped side down on prepared baking sheet and set aside. 3. In a large skillet, heat…

FRENCH DIP SANDWICHES Makes 6 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided 1 (3- to 31/2-pound) boneless chuck roast, trimmed 21/2 teaspoons steak seasoning, divided 2 medium sweet yellow onions, sliced 1 large green bell pepper, seeded and sliced 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 sprigs fresh thyme 1 sprig fresh rosemary 2 cups beef broth 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 6 hoagie rolls, split lengthwise 6 slices provolone cheese 1. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Sprinkle roast all over with 2 teaspoons steak seasoning; cook until browned all over, about 3 minutes per side. Remove roast from skillet. 2. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in same skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and bell pepper; cook, stirring frequently, until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Add garlic; cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minute. 3. Transfer half of onion mixture to a 6-quart…