You know her as Shea Goldstein of Dixie Chik Cooks. I know her as the person who lives 4 latitudinal degrees north of me and still has the audacity to claim that she’s more Southern.
Perhaps my 16 readers will help settle the score.
Around these parts, we still have majorettes, bright red lipstick and more honky tonks than you can shake a stick at. Shea’s state has a football team that was named for a game played in the mud a century ago. How Southern is that?
Her state claims Nat King Cole, Helen Keller and Willie Mays … All fine folks, but not nearly as Southern as Barbara Mandrell, Red Adair or former Rep. Charlie Wilson. And Lynyrd Skynyrd — a Florida band — only sang about Shea’s home. At least ZZ Top keeps it real down here.
The food is most telling though. In the Yellowhammer State, folks eat country fried steaks. Around here, we eat chicken fried steak. Which sounds more Southern? The one that shares a name with the Dairy Queen menu item? Or the one that conjures up images of Daisy May ‘Granny’ Moses standing over her cast iron skillet?
If you’re still torn on who’s more Southern, just know that Shea lives in a modern brick home with too much square footage to count. As for my home? It has wheels.
All kidding aside, Shea can cook for me any time. She’s true to her Southern roots and is a diva in the kitchen. Check out her delicious BBQ Chicken Sandwich with Fried Green Tomato and Bacon Pimento Cheese. It might just be the poster recipe for National Southern Food Day (Jan. 22). Still, any Southern that comes from my kitchen must be chicken fried. Check out her recipe, then take a good long look at mine.
Who’s more Southern? You decide.
Dixie Chik Cooks’ BBQ Chicken Sandwich with Fried Green Tomato and Bacon Pimento Cheese
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Chicken Fried Steak Sandwich
Chicken Fried Steak Sandwich — the real reason for the ‘When I die I want to go to Texas’ decal.
- 1 recipe – Chicken fried steak
- 12 slices – Texas toast, or your favorite sandwich roll
- 6 TB – Melted butter
- 1½ cups – Shredded lettuce
- 1 – Large tomato, sliced thinly
- Mayonnaise
- Make the chicken fried steak.
- While steak is keeping warm in the oven, brush one side of each bread slice with melted butter; broil until golden brown, about 1 minute.
- Place ¼ cup of lettuce on bread slice; add chicken fried steak; add bread slice.
- Dress with mayonnaise.
- One bite and you'll know why some people sport the 'When I die I want to go to Texas' bumper sticker.