The South: A Love Story

I was born and raised in the South (well, except for a few stints in Ohio, Puerto Rico and NY but that is another story). I went to college in the South. I got my first job in Atlanta, the biggest city in the South. When I met my husband, I told him I would live anywhere south of the Mason Dixon line and east of the Mississippi. He thought I was kidding. I am not. And really, where else is a name like Virginia Ann going to go over well? For the sake of my youngest child, we need to stay in the South. To say I love the South is an understatement. I love her people, her literature, her history and most definitely her FOOD! As any upstanding southern lady would, I have had a subscription to Southern Living since I was 16. It was a gift from my Aunt Maureen- a New Yorker, gasp!-who has seen that geography may separate us but we can both agree that this publication should be scripture to all who love the South. 

 The day Southern Living comes in my mailbox is an exciting day. I know that once the little people hit their pillows, I get to curl up and read the magazine cover to cover! My husband is excited because he knows that in the days to follow I will try new recipes and he will be the beneficiary. Such an experience happened last night and I have to share. We had a Southern Summer Supper with lots of yummy foods from the garden- fried okra, cucumber salad and squash casserole among others. We had company over and I was a little nervous to try a new recipe for dessert but SL has never failed me and it exceeded expectations this time! I mean, how could a recipe that includes Mountain Dew go wrong?

Grab the following. It is high time you make Peach Enchiladas!

2 cans of crescent rolls

2lbs fresh peaches

1.5 cups of sugar

1 cup butter, melted

1 tsp cinnamon

1 can of Mountain Dew

Cut up your peaches. The mag says to quarter them. I went a little smaller. 

Lay out the crescents in a buttered baking dish. Place a tablespoon of peaches or a quartered peach on each triangle. Roll up the dough around the peaches and pinch the ends together.

Place the peach pockets point side down in the dish. Mix together the melted butter, sugar and cinnamon and drizzle it over the rolls.

Take the secret ingredient. Ignore your husband's strange looks. 

Pour the Moutain Dew over the rolls. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly. (It only took my oven 40 minutes so watch them).

 I wish your house could smell like this right now. 

Put these on your "must make this summer" list. Then send Southern Living a handwritten thank you note. It is what a good Southern lady would do.