Copycat recipes for Dixie Cafe favorites in Idea Alley
Recipes that appear in Idea Alley have not been tested by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
With the news that Dixie Cafe was closing its restaurants, it seems like a good time to revisit some of the Alley’s Dixie Cafe favorites.
We’ve already heard from one Kat looking to re-create the restaurant’s marinated black-eyed pea salad.
We’re told this recipe — published back in 2015 — comes close.
Murlene’s Black-Eyed Pea Salad I
1 can black-eyed peas,
drained
1 (10-ounce) package frozen
corn, thawed
1 small green pepper, diced 1 small red pepper, diced ½ cup diced celery 2 tablespoons finely chopped
onion
½ cup cider vinegar
½ cup oil
1 tablespoon sugar 2 tablespoons Worcestershire
sauce
½ teaspoon garlic salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Combine peas, corn, green and red peppers, celery and onion in medium-size bowl.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients. Pour over vegetables and toss. Chill for several hours before serving.
The baked squash is by far the most requested recipe from the Dixie Cafe’s menu, with requests dating to the late 1980s.
Pat Yielding was one of the first Kats to share a copycat version of the recipe.
Baked Squash Like Dixie Cafe’s
5 pounds medium-size yellow
squash
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup bread crumbs 2 tablespoons chopped onion ½ cup (1 stick) butter OR
margarine, softened
¼ cup sugar Salt as needed
Dash pepper
Nonstick vegetable spray Additional bread crumbs for topping
Trim squash and cut into large pieces. Drop squash into a large saucepan with enough boiling water to cover. Return to boil, reduce heat and cook until tender. Drain in a colander, then mash.
In a large mixing bowl, combine squash with remaining ingredients. Turn into a 3-quart casserole that has been lightly greased or sprayed with nonstick vegetable spray. Cover with a light layer of bread crumbs.
Bake at 350 degrees until lightly browned.
Makes 10 servings. Variation: Add 1 to 1 ½ cups cheddar cheese and 1 jalapeno pepper, diced.
Fried Corn-on-the-Cob is another oft-requested dish. We don’t have an exact recipe but here’s how you make it according to a YouTube video posted by Frank Battisto of Dixie Restaurants Inc.
Fried Corn-on-the-Cob:
Roll 3-inch cob-ettes in allpurpose flour seasoned with salt and pepper, followed by a dip in buttermilk seasoned with mustard, salt and pepper and then return cobs to the flour, rolling to coat. Fry in hot oil for 5 to 6 minutes. Serve hot.
Unanswered requests for Dixie Cafe menu items include:
• Fried pickles
• Meatloaf with Creole sauce
• Chicken-fried steak
• Sweet potato casserole
• Cornbread
• Green beans
If you have a recipe for one of the items above, as it was served at Dixie Cafe, we’d love to have it.
Send recipe contributions, requests and culinary questions to Kelly Brant, Idea Alley, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, P.O. Box 2221, Little Rock, Ark. 72203; email:
kbrant@arkansasonline.com
Please include a daytime phone number.