The Nest & the Rest: The Help Book Club Party

Erik and I will soon be moving to Charlottesville, VA, so I knew my book club meeting in March would probably be the last one I hosted. That’s why I decided to go along with the theme of the book and serve up some home cooking southern style and basically cook way too much food!

The Book:
The Help is a must read! This was the first book all of the ladies in book club loved! It takes place during the civil rights movement in Mississippi. The book follows the story of three women, two maids and a young woman who is writing their stories. Check this book out!

Click here for a list of book club questions.

The Menu:

Fried Chicken (make this easy on yourself – I picked up some thighs and legs at the grocery store)
Cheesy Potatoes
Red Lobster like biscuits
Texas Sheet Cake
Italian Salad (we needed some green!)
Houston’s Like Spinach Dip

Cheesy Potatoes (Swim Team Potato Casserole)
1 30 oz. package Ore-Ida potatoes (thawed)
2 cups cheddar cheese (shredded)
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
2 cups light sour cream
1 cup onion (sauté onions before adding them)
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 cups of corn flakes crushed
¼ cup of better

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In large bowl, combine all ingredients except corn flakes and butter, mix well.
Spread into ungreased 11 by 7 inch baking dish or two quart casserole dish.
Crush corn flakes and stir into butter.
Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes until bubbly around the edges!
These are a fan favorite-wholesome classic!

Red Lobster-like biscuits
2 ½ cup Bisquick baking mix

4 tbsp cold butter (1/2 stick)
1 heaping c. grated cheddar cheese
¾ c. cold whole milk
¼ tsp garlic powder

Brush on Top: 2 Tbsp. butter, melted, ½ tsp. garlic powder, ¼ tsp dried parsley flakes, pinch salt.

Preheat your oven 400 degrees.

Combine Bisquick with cold butter in a medium bowl using a pastry cutter or a large fork. You don’t want to mix too thoroughly. There should be small chunks of butter in there that are about the size of peas. Add cheddar cheese, milk, and ¼ teaspoon garlic. Mix by hand until combined, but don’t over mix.

Drop approximately ¼ cup portions of the dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet using an ice cream scoop. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes or until the tops of the biscuits begin to turn light brown.

When you take the biscuits out of the oven, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a small bowl in your microwave. Stir in ½ teaspoon garlic powder and the dried parsley flakes. Using a brush to spread this garlic butter over the tops of all the biscuits. Use up all of the butter. Makes a dozen biscuits.

Texas Sheet Cake
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In mixing bowl:
2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
In saucepan, bring to boil:
¼ pound butter or margarine
½ cup oil (vegetable or canola)
¼ cup cocoa
1 cup water

Add saucepan mixture to bowl mixture
Add 2 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla, ½ cup buttermilk with 1 teaspoon baking soda mixed in (to the buttermilk)
Mix well and pour into a greased floured cookie sheet.

Bake for 20 minutes at 400 degrees.

Before cake is done, mix in the same saucepan:
1 stick butter or margarine
¼ cup cocoa
5 tablespoons milk
Bring to a boil
Add 1 pound powdered sugar and 1 tsp of vanilla, stir until smooth. Cool slightly and spoon over warm cake.

Houston’s Spinach Dip
One 12 oz. box frozen chopped spinach (thawed)
½ c. chopped canned artichoke hearts (not marinated)
1 tbsp. chopped white onion
¼ c. heavy cream
¼ c. sour cream
1 ¼ c. shredded Monterey jack cheese
1/3 c. grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
¼ tsp. garlic salt

Mix together the spinach, chopped artichoke hearts, and onion in a microwave-safe glass or ceramic bowl. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, then cut a small slit in the center of the wrap so that the steam can sneak out. Microwave on high for 4 minutes. Keep spinach covered while you prepare the cream sauce.

Combine cream, sour cream, jack cheese, grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese, and a garlic salt in a medium saucepan over medium/low heat. Heat this up slowly for about 10 minutes or until the sauce reaches a simmer and thickens. Just don’t let the mixture boil.

Add the spinach mixture to the sauce and continue to heat over medium/low. Cook for the 10 more minutes or until mixture reaches a thick dip-like consistency. Pour into a bowl and serve with tortilla chips for dipping .