Sweet Potato Roots

When one leaves the Southeast, one's fixin' to know it at first bite. Pork ain't the same, barbecue ain't the same, hell, even sauce ain't the same. And, don't get your panties in a wad when people regard you with blank stares upon request for a sweet tea.

So, whenever I come across a fusion restaurant far from home and discover they're incorporating a bit o' southern flair into they vittles (actin' like collards are some kind of exotic green), my heart cain't help but swell with pride.

A recent trip to Dallas restaurant, Sevy's, sent my tastebuds straight into the thick of a magnolia scented dining room.
The culprit: barbecue-glazed salmon over buttermilk-chive whipped potatoes with tabasco butter and crispy leeks.

And, if that wasn't enough, famed seafood restaurant, Reef, in Houston, Texas (where my husband and I dined a week later), whipped up hearty servings of crispy-skinned seared snapper over sweet and sour chard and tomato brown butter, and roasted grouper over corn pudding with salsa cruda and grilled peach. Now, slap me silly if we ain't in the South! Also on their menu, a fried mac and cheese that stands alone at a size comparable to a very large, well-endowed grapefruit. (We were informed that this southern treat remains the most time-consuming item to prepare on the menu.)

Now, if I do say so myself, I think I'll be off my soapbox for the night, clamp me on some pearls and cook me up a tomato pie! Bon Appetit, y'all!

Grandma's Tomato Pie

1 box Bisquick
4-5 large tomatoes
1/2 c. mayo
3/4 c. shredded cheddar cheese
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. (400 depending upon your oven)
First: prepare the crust
Follow instructions on pkg. for crust and press into deep-dish pie plate.
Second: thinly slice 4-5 large tomatoes and layer in dish.
Third: Mix 1/2 c. mayonnaise and 3/4 c. shredded cheddar cheese, spread in an even layer across the top of the tomatoes.
Salt and pepper the top, pop in the oven and bake 25-35 min. or until the Bisquick crust is a golden brown and the cheese is melted and bubbly.

*optional: add 1 tsp. italian seasoning, 1/2 T chopped chives, or fresh basil leaves to tomatoes.