Collard Greens

1. Prep the greens: After washing and chopping your collard greens, set them aside.
2. Sauté the aromatics: In a large pot, sauté the chopped onion and garlic with a bit of oil over medium heat for about 3-5 minutes, until they’re soft and fragrant.
3. Add your meat: Now, throw in your ham hock or turkey legs, and pour in the chicken broth (or water with chicken bouillon). Bring it to a boil and then lower the heat to simmer.
4. Simmer the greens: Add the collard greens to the pot, along with apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper. Let everything simmer for about 45 minutes to an hour, until those greens are tender and the flavor is deep and rich. Taste along the way and adjust your seasonings. If you want some heat, add red pepper flakes.
5. Serve: Once they’re perfect, serve the greens hot, and don’t forget the pot liquor (that’s the broth). It’s just as good as the greens!

Skillet Cornbread

1. Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C), and pop your 10-inch cast-iron skillet in the oven to heat up.
2. Mix the dry ingredients: In a bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
3. Mix the wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, eggs, and melted butter.
4. Combine the two: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir until just combined. Don’t overmix — you want that perfect crumb.
5. Heat the skillet: Carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven. Add 2 tbsp of vegetable oil and swirl it around to coat the bottom.
6. Bake the cornbread: Pour your cornbread batter into the skillet and bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until it’s golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.
7. Serve: Let it cool for a few minutes, then slice it into wedges. It’s best served warm with that butter melting on top.

Fried Catfish

1. Prep the catfish: Pat your catfish fillets dry with a paper towel. Dip them in the buttermilk, making sure they’re well coated.
2. Make the breading: In a shallow dish, mix together the cornmeal, flour, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper.
3. Coat the fillets: Dredge each fillet in the cornmeal mixture, pressing lightly to coat it evenly.
4. Fry the catfish: Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat — enough to cover the bottom of the pan. Once the oil is hot, carefully add your catfish fillets and fry for about 3-5 minutes on each side, until they’re golden brown and crispy.
5. Drain and serve: Remove the catfish from the skillet and place it on paper towels to drain. Serve it hot with lemon wedges on the side.