Fannie Flagg's Redbird Recipes

Dec. 20, 2004 — -- Fannie Flagg, the author of "Fried Green Tomatoes," joined "Good Morning America" to talk about her latest book, "A Redbird Christmas" -- a tale of down-home Southern charm, down-home Southern food and one or two miracles as well. It's the story of a Chicago man who moves down South to die, only to discover the healing powers of a friendly small town.

"A Redbird Christmas" -- like "Fried Green Tomatoes" -- includes recipes for its readers. Two of those recipes are below:

Corn Casserole

Ingredients:

• 1 large can cream-style corn

• 1 can white niblet corn

• 2 eggs beaten

• 1 stick butter

• 1 8½ ounce box Jiffy corn muffin mix

• 8 ounces sour cream

Directions:

• Mix all ingredients together well. Put in 9-by-13 buttered dish and bake at 350° for about 45 minutes, or until firm in the middle.

Floating Island

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs, separated

• 2 cups scalded milk

• pinch of salt

• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

• 4 tablespoons powdered sugar

Directions:

• Add well-beaten egg yolks to hot milk and mix well. Place in top part of double boiler and cook until liquid coats a spoon. Cook quickly and add salt and granulated sugar. Set aside.

• Beat egg whites until stiff.

• Add 4 tablespoons powdered sugar to egg whites, one at a time, beating after each addition.

• Pour custard into dessert dishes and top each with egg whites.

Excerpted from "A Redbird Christmas." Copyright © 2004 by Fannie Flagg. Excerpted by permission of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.