Biscuits and gravy. Shrimp and grits.
Not on the coast. But could never get gravy to turn out right. It’s either too watery or too thick. There is a 3 bears reference in there somewhere.
Gravy’s a process. Too think? Add a little more liquid. Too thin? Add a little more flour (or even a cornstarch slurry)
I cook spicy breakfast sausage, scoop most of the meat out of the pan, add some butter to the sausage grease (i know 🤷) and stir in a couple of tablespoons of flour. Whisk it while it cooks to browned. Wisk in some milk, take it to just below boiling (tiny bubbles at the edge), and turn it down to thicken a bit. Mine is always a bit brown, never the bright white they have in restaurants, but my family likes it.
White gravy comes from making a plain roux from butter and flour, not browning it much, then using milk to finish the process. Maybe salt. Even my black pepper gravy is coloured and i only slightly brown the roux and the pepper goes into the butter before anything else.
It’s not supposed to be white like the restaurant. Browni(ish) is best.
Hoppin John
https://www.southernliving.com/recipes/classic-hoppin-john-recipe
Don’t let the number of ingredients scare you. It’s basically just bacon or ham, black eyed peas, and veggies over rice.
This version says to strain the cooking liquid (step 4). Sometimes I like leaving it in and eating it as more of a stew with cornbread (no rice).
Gotta eat it on the new year! As the article says. I just make mine in the slow cooker though, so it’s ready whenever I get up!
Making it with leftover Christmas ham is how I usually do it.
Red beans and rice
As a New Englander that moved to the south. Tenderloin biscuits for breakfast. Cook you up a pork tenderloin , slice it thick and slap it on a biscuit hot. No idea how I lived without these so long. They do the same with very thick sliced fried bologna… Which is novel but the tenderloin rocks. No idea why the south can’t make a biscuit that won’t throw crumbs 2 feet in every direction though.
It doesn’t get much easier than collards or baked beans.
ETA: or cornbread.
People are mostly recommending what I’d consider intermediate level cooking.
Cheese grits are delicious and easy. Buy a bag of 5 minute grits (not instant, never buy instant grits) cook according to directions - make sure to salt the water. At the end when it’s like bubbling lava, add shredded cheese of your choice and if you have it, nutritional yeast makes them better, but don’t worry, it’s good either way. Possible additions - jalapenos, smoked paprika. Serve with a fried egg on top.
Freakishly delicious and so easy.
Fried chicken, southern gravy from the drippings, served with biscuits.
Braised collard greens. Takes probably 45 minutes to simmer, but they’re delicious, nutritious, and simple!
I’ve lived in the US south my entire life — go for salmon croquettes and stretch that canned fish into something extra delicious!
https://sandrakitchen.com/alton-brown-salmon-croquettes/
Not very southern, but I like to make a garlic fake-oli with it: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/213608/garlic-aioli/
