Watch CBS News

Rania's Recipes: Southern Picnic

Rania Harris stopped by Pittsburgh Today Live to show off some delicious southern-themed recipes for a picnic!

Sweet Tea and Vodka Lemonade

  • 2 large tea bags for iced tea
  • 1/2 cup boiling water
  • 8 fresh mint sprigs
  • 4 cups lemonade made from frozen concentrate
  • 1/2 cup vodka
  • Ice cubes
  • 8 lemon slices

Directions:

Place tea bags in medium bowl. Add 1/2 cup boiling water. Let steep 4 minutes. Discard tea bags. Place mint sprigs in large pitcher; mash with muddler or handle of wooden spoon until slightly bruised. Pour in tea, lemonade, and vodka.

Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.

Fill 8 highball glasses with ice. Divide sweet tea among glasses. Garnish with lemon slices.

To streamline this recipe, you can use one cup Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka in place of the tea and the vodka.

Southern Fried Chicken

  • 1 chicken, 3-1/2 to 4 pounds, cut into 8 serving pieces
  • 1-1/2 cups buttermilk
  • 3 teaspoons salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3-4 cups vegetable shortening

Directions:

Rinse the chicken pieces and blot dry with paper towels. In a large bowl, combine the buttermilk, 1 teaspoon of the salt, ¼ teaspoon each of the black pepper and paprika and 1/8 teaspoon of the cayenne pepper. Add the chicken pieces and turn to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or as long as overnight, turning the pieces occasionally.

In a pie plate, combine the flour and the remaining 2 teaspoons salt, ¼ teaspoon each black pepper and paprika and 1/8 teaspoon cayenne. Stir well with fork.

Line a baking sheet with 3 layers of paper towels and place it near the stove. Put the shortening in a large cast-iron frying pan or heavy pot and melt over medium-high heat. The shortening should be about 1-1/2 inches deep. Heat until it registers 365 degrees on a deep-fat frying thermometer.

Using tongs, remove the chicken thighs from the marinade, draining well. Dredge them in the flour mixture, turning to coat evenly, and shake off the excess flour. Place the thighs, skin side down, in the center of the pan. Coat the remaining chicken pieces in the same way and add them to the pan in a single layer.

Do not move the chicken until the coating is set and looks firm, 4-6 minutes. Check the underside by lifting with tongs; it should be deep golden brown. Turn over and fry on the second side until also deep golden brown, rotating the pieces as necessary. Remove from the pan when done, 17-20 minutes for breasts and 20-25 minutes for the other pieces. To test, cut into the thickest part of a piece; the juices should fun clear and the meat should be opaque throughout. Place on the towel-lined baking sheet to drain. If you want to serve hot, cover and keep warm until all the chicken is cooked.
Arrange the chicken pieces on a platter or individual plates and serve hot, at room temperature or cold.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Potato Salad

  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2-1/2 pounds small Yukon Gold potatoes, unpeeled
  • 3 celery stalks, cut into slices ¼ inch thick
  • ¼ cup finely diced red onion

Dressing:

  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
  • 1 green onion, including the tender green tops, finely chopped
  • ¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 teaspoon dry mustard
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley

Directions

Bring a large saucepan three-fourths full of water to a boil. Add the salt and then the potatoes. Broil until tender but slightly resistant when pierced with a fork, 15-25 minutes depending on the size. Drain, and, when cool enough to handle, cut the unpeeled potatoes into 1-inch pieces.

In a bowl, combine the potatoes, celery and red onion and toss briefly to mix. Set aside.

To make the dressing, in a small bowl and using a fork, stir together the sour cream, mayonnaise, mustard seeds, green onion, parsley, dry mustard, salt and pepper, mixing well.

Pour the dressing over the potato mixture. Using a large spoon, mix well, being careful not to break up the potatoes too much.

Transfer the salad to a large serving platter or bowl, if desired. For the best flavor, cover and chill for up to 2 hours before serving. Sprinkle the parsley over the top and serve.

Yield: 6 servings.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.