Eating Oxford
On Cooking Southern: Canned Biscuit and Roll Dough Recipes
Apple dumplings.
Slow your roll but make sure not to tump over.
SOUTHERNISM OF THE WEEK
Tump: To turn something over forcefully, as in dumping. “Don’t you dare tump that sugar caster onto the red holiday tablecloth!”
CANNED BISCUIT AND ROLL DOUGH RECIPES
Self-respecting old-style Southern cooks almost never admit to using pre-made components for preparing a family meal. But in fact, most of us use culinary short cuts regularly, and especially during the holidays when our cook-time is better spent creating legendary coconut cakes and chocolate buttermilk pies and cheese straws and crawfish dressing and pecan-crusted rack of lamb.
Numerous commercially packaged products are designed to help us through these difficult supper-time periods. We all know what they are: Frozen cooked meats. Canned soup. Bags of stuffing mix. Salad fixings. Cookie, candy and cake mixes. Boxed mac’n cheese. . . and the most versatile of them all — canned biscuit, pizza and roll dough.
Canned refrigerator biscuits came before canned refrigerator rolls. They have an interesting scientific history — invented in 1930 in Louisville, KY by Lively B. Willoughby, who sought a way to extend the refrigerated life of dough. The shelf life of Willoughby’s original canned refrigerator biscuits was two weeks. Today it is two to three months. Willoughby held the patent through1948, when Ballard & Ballard took it over. Pillsbury Mills acquired the patent in 1951, and the rest, as they say, is history. Pillsbury and its competitors now offer more than 80 different types of canned doughs.
An entire food-world culture has sprung up around the product, as millions of cooks have devised hundreds of creative uses for the canned dough. The Old Bride keeps canned biscuits in the fridge for emergencies. I’ve listed a handful of the recipes I use below, along with my Christmas season musical accompaniment, The Twelve Days of Biscuits. MERRY CHRISTMAS, Y’ALL!
LAURIE’S TWELVE DAYS OF BISCUITS
(Sung to the tune of The Twelve Days of Christmas)
On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me
A nut-crusted monkey bread
On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me
Two sugar cakes
And a nut-crusted monkey bread
On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me
Three cheese blintzes
Two sugar cakes
And a nut-crusted monkey bread
On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me
Four fried peach pies
Three cheese blintzes
Two sugar cakes
And a nut-crusted monkey bread
On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me
Five apple dumplings
Four fried peach pies
Three cheese blintzes
Two sugar cakes
And a nut-crusted monkey bread
On the sixth day of Christmas my true love gave to me
Six doughnut holes
Five apple dumplings
Four fried peach pies
Three cheese blintzes
Two sugar cakes
And a nut-crusted monkey bread
On the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me
Seven saucy pizzas
Six doughnut holes
Five apple dumplings
Four fried peach pies
Three cheese blintzes
Two sugar cakes
And a nut-crusted monkey bread
On the eighth day of Christmas my true love gave to me
Eight hot ham pockets
Seven saucy pizzas
Six doughnut holes
Five apple dumplings
Four fried peach pies
Three cheese blintzes
Two sugar cakes
And a nut-crusted monkey bread
On the ninth day of Christmas my true love gave to me
Nine Natchez meat pies
Eight hot ham pockets
Seven saucy pizzas
Six doughnut holes
Five apple dumplings
Four fried peach pies
Three cheese blintzes
Two sugar cakes
And a nut-crusted monkey bread
On the 10th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me
Ten sausage muffins
Nine Natchez meat pies
Eight hot ham pockets
Seven saucy pizzas
Six doughnut holes
Five apple dumplings
Four fried peach pies
Three cheese blintzes
Two sugar cakes
And a nut-crusted monkey bread
On the 11th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me
Eleven turkey empanadas
Ten sausage muffins
Nine Natchez meat pies
Eight hot ham pockets
Seven saucy pizzas
Six doughnut holes
Five apple dumplings
Four fried peach pies
Three cheese blintzes
Two sugar cakes
And a nut-crusted monkey bread
On the 12th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me
12 chicken pot pies
Eleven turkey empanadas
Ten sausage muffins
Nine Natchez meat pies
Eight hot ham pockets
Seven saucy pizzas
Six doughnut holes
Five apple dumplings
Four fried peach pies
Three cheese blintzes
Two sugar cakes
And a nut-crusted monkey bread.
CHICKEN BISCUIT CASSEROLE
I usually avoid canned soup, but we Methodists tend to backslide when in a hurry. The idea here is to whip up a quick and easy dinner during the holidays.
2 to 3 c leftover grocery store roasted chicken
1 can heart healthy cream of chicken soup
1/4 c milk
2/3 c frozen green peas
6-oz jar of sliced mushrooms, drained
2 T bacon pieces
2 T mayonnaise or plain Greek yogurt
1/8 tsp fresh ground black pepper
7.5-oz can of 10 regular biscuits
1/2 c grated sharp cheddar
Chop chicken. Mix with soup, milk, peas, mushrooms and mayo/yogurt. Add black pepper and crumbled pieces of bacon. Pour into 8-inch baking dish. Sprinkle grated cheese evenly across the top. Stretch or roll out 9 of the biscuits and position in three rows over the chicken. Bake at 375˚F for approximately 20-25 minutes. Serve over rice with a tossed salad. VARIATION: peel the biscuits in half and line the bottom of the pan with one set of biscuit halves.
SHORT-CUT NATCHEZ BEEF PIES
The meat filling starts off like sloppy joe filling. Add Natchez meat pie spices such as Tony’s Creole seasoning and bell pepper, as desired.
1 to 2 lb ground beef
1 stick butter
1 white onion, chopped fine
3 cloves garlic, chopped fine
1/4 c chopped green pepper, optional
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 c ketchup
1 tsp Creole seasoning
8 large buttermilk home-style biscuits (I used Pillsbury Grands)
4 tsp cream cheese
Melted butter
2 T grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp garlic salt
Brown the onion, garlic and bell pepper in butter. Add ground beef, and season with salt and pepper. Stir and break up the meat until browned. Add ketchup and simmer until the meat cooks down. Drain the filling. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 375˚F. Lightly grease a large-cup muffin pan or the bottoms and sides of 4-inch mini-tart pans or extra-large muffin tin(s). Combine Parmesan and garlic salt and set aside.
Open can of biscuits and split each biscuit horizontally into two equal circles. Roll out and position one circle in each tart pan, pushing up about 1/4 inch up the sides. Spoon a tablespoon of drained filling into the center and top with about 1/2 tsp of cream cheese. Cover with other half of dough. Pinch the dough sides together to seal. Brush melted butter across the tops. Sprinkle with mixture of Parmesan and garlic salt. Place tart pans on a cookie sheet (or muffin direct) on middle rack and bake about 30 minutes, until golden brown and bubbly.
HAM POCKETS
7.5 oz can of refrigerator biscuits
5-6 slices of deli ham, cut on #1, chopped fine
1 T softened butter
Dijon mustard
Apricot preserves
1/4 c grated Baby Swiss cheese
2 (1/8-inch-thick) slices of white onion, minced
3 T butter, melted
Grated cheddar
Preheat oven to 375˚F. Stretch each biscuit into a flattened circle on waxed paper. Spread a small amount of the softened butter over the top of each, followed by a small amount of Dijon. Place about 1/8 tsp of apricot preserves in the center of each biscuit, and sprinkle in layers small amounts of minced onion, chopped ham, and Baby Swiss cheese. Pull edges of each biscuit and fold one side over the other, stretching the dough as needed to be able to pinch the edges sealed. Drizzle melted butter on each folded biscuit and on the waxed paper, turning each folded biscuit to butter all over both sides. Place the biscuit pockets in a small baking pan, edges almost touching. Sprinkle a small amount of grated cheddar over center top of each pocket. Bake about 20-25 minutes, until golden brown.
APPLE DUMPLINGS
10-pc can of refrigerator biscuits
5 tart apples, peeled and sliced into halves, quarters, or eighths, depending on size of biscuits and apples
1 stick (1/2 c) butter
1 c brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3/4 to 1 c water
Preheat oven to 375ºF. Butter the bottom of a 7-by-9-inch (or 8-inch) pan. Stretch biscuits around apple slices and pinch edges closed. Place in rows in buttered 8-inch or 7-by-9-inch pan. Heat just to boiling the remaining ingredients and pour over the dumplings. Bake for 30 minutes. Serve hot with a dollop of whipped cream.
SHORTCUT SUGAR CAKE
This delicious faux sugar cake recipe is popular in the North Carolina Piedmont, where the genuine Moravian sugar cake flourishes. Recipe thanks go to Sharon Page of Greensboro, NC, one of The Old Bride’s Salem College classmates who Groved with us at the Arkansas game in November.
2 cans of regular crescent rolls
1 c confectioner’s sugar
8 oz pkg cream cheese, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 c light brown sugar
1 stick (1/2 c) melted butter
Cinnamon sugar (about 4 to 5 tsp)
9 –by-13-inch Pyrex dish
Grease bottom of pan with nonstick cooking spray. Unroll one can of crescent rolls and spread as a continuous sheet to line bottom of pan. As dough warms up, it becomes more pliable so you can spread it across the whole pan, keeping the triangles in the dough together.
Mix confectioner’s sugar, cream cheese and vanilla in medium speed until smooth and creamy. Spread evenly over first layer of crescent rolls. Unroll second can of crescent rolls and spread over the cream cheese mixture. Press index fingers into the dough on this layer at regular intervals to give it the dimpled “sugar cake” appearance.
Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly across the top. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar evenly over the brown sugar. Pour melted butter over the top of the brown sugar. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Remove to rack to cool slightly before cutting into squares. Serve immediately.
Laurie Triplette is a writer, historian, and accredited appraiser of fine arts, dedicated to preserving Southern culture and foodways. Author of the award-winning community family cookbook GIMME SOME SUGAR, DARLIN’, and editor of ZEBRA TALES (Tailgating Recipes from the Ladies of the NFLRA), Triplette is a member of the Association of Food Journalists (AFJ),Southern Foodways Alliance (SFA) and the Southern Food and Beverage Museum (SOFAB). Check out the GIMME SOME SUGAR, DARLIN’ web site: www.tripleheartpress.com and follow Laurie’s food adventures on Facebook and Twitter (@LaurieTriplette).
Get you some sugar this holiday season with GIMME SOME SUGAR, DARLIN’, Laurie Triplette’s award-winning family cookbook. From ‘One Old Southern Bride’ to another, give the The Secret Lexicon of Southernness this Christmas.
Eating Oxford
The Velvet Ditch brings seafood and steady service to Oxford
A new hot spot offering seafood, bar favorites and steady service in a setting that fits both weeknights and game weekends
OXFORD, Miss. — The Velvet Ditch has become a regular stop for people looking for seafood plates, sandwiches and a sports-bar setting near the Oxford Square.
Its menu leans toward familiar items, and the service is one of the reasons diners say they return. The restaurant sits on South Lamar Boulevard, close enough to campus and the Square to draw steady traffic on most nights.
The interior features televisions, open tables and a bar that stays busy during major sporting events. Staff members move between areas at a quick pace.
A visitor can see at a glance that the restaurant is built to handle crowds during football weekends or spring baseball series.
The menu includes catfish, shrimp, burgers and pasta dishes. One food-travel site highlighted the “Catfish with Grits” and the “Lobster Mac and Cheese” as standout items.
Another review praised the staff, noting that a server “went above and beyond to ensure guests had a memorable experience.” Those comments help show why service is often mentioned in accounts from diners.
Guests also mention that the kitchen keeps wait times short. Even on harder nights, food tends to reach tables in a steady rhythm. For people on a schedule, that can be a deciding factor.
Some patrons report that visiting in the early evening brings a quieter atmosphere. Later hours often mean a louder bar setting, especially during games or campus events.
One commenter on social media wrote that the place was “packed” but said staff and management stayed active and remained helpful. That reflects a common pattern in local feedback.
The porch and outdoor seating add to the appeal, especially during fall and spring weather. The spot offers extra room for groups and keeps the dining room from feeling crowded when traffic picks up.
For diners seeking a consistent seafood option that works for friends, families or visitors, The Velvet Ditch meets those expectations without trying to be a fine-dining restaurant.
Most guests seem to accept it as a casual place where they can get reliable favorites.
Menu impressions and pacing
Portion sizes fall on the larger side. Some customers report leaving with leftovers, which adds value for a college-town audience.
Pricing falls within the range expected for a restaurant near the Square, though the seafood dishes push slightly higher than the sandwiches.
Most tables seem to order at least one fried dish. For people choosing wings or fried seafood, asking about crispness is a reasonable step.
One local blog gave the wings a 6.8 out of 10, citing texture but praising the seasoning and service.
It is not unusual for fried items to vary between busy and slow shifts, and guests sometimes adjust their orders based on earlier visits.
Pasta selections, including shrimp-based dishes, tend to draw positive remarks for flavor.
Several diners have shared online comments praising the seasoning balance, which can be harder to maintain in larger kitchens on crowded nights.
Service remains one of the restaurant’s strengths. Reports mention hosts greeting guests quickly and servers keeping check-ins consistent without becoming intrusive.
These basic steps stand out in a setting that often juggles game-day crowds.
The bar area typically fills first. Guests wanting a quieter space may choose tables near the front or the patio. Staff usually offer guidance on where noise levels are lower.
Visitors should expect a mixed crowd. Students, families, alumni and travelers pass through during busy weekends.
The range creates a social atmosphere without shifting the restaurant’s identity into a full bar.
When the pace picks up, the kitchen maintains a workmanlike rhythm. Though the menu is wide enough to challenge any staff during peak hours, food tends to be steady.
This consistency is part of why the restaurant keeps its place among Oxford’s regular dining choices.
Final thoughts
The Velvet Ditch presents itself as a casual dining option that fits Oxford’s blend of campus life and regional visitors.
Diners visiting early in the evening, before louder crowds settle in, often get a more relaxed experience. Later hours tilt toward a sports-bar feel, but service remains attentive.
The restaurant’s strengths lie in its steady approach. It does not try to compete with upscale dining rooms in town.
Instead, it focuses on familiar dishes, efficient service and a setting that suits both weeknight diners and visitors in town for a game.
For people seeking seafood or bar favorites near the Square, The Velvet Ditch offers a dependable choice.
Key takeaways
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The Velvet Ditch delivers steady service and familiar seafood-and-bar dishes near the Oxford Square.
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Early visits offer quieter meals, while later hours bring louder sports-bar energy.
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Portions are large, and service remains a strong point even on busy nights.
Eating Oxford
Captain Morgan’s Pirate Ship Grounds on the Oxford Square for Three Days of Swashbuckling Fun
Captain Morgan’s Pirate Ship drops anchor in Oxford Square for a three-day rum-filled adventure supporting local arts programs.
The Oxford Square is about to get a taste of the high seas as Captain Morgan’s legendary Pirate Ship makes landfall for three days of rum, revelry, and community celebration. The nearly 40-foot vessel will drop anchor right in the heart of downtown, inviting residents and visitors alike to climb aboard for photos, exploration, and a chance to join the pirate crew—if they dare.
The festivities kick off Thursday, November 13, with the Captain Morgan Pirate Pub Crawl, benefitting the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council. The crawl begins with a 7:30 p.m. check-in at The Powerhouse Community Arts Center, where participants will experience the Captain’s Tailgate Tour Ship and enjoy a signature cocktail.
From there, crews will sail through town—stopping at Moe’s Penny Bar, Back Nine, Quack’s, and The Blind Pig Pub—collecting treasure map stamps, stories, and plenty of pirate memories along the way. The night culminates with a grand drawing for a Captain Morgan Yeti Cooler, stocked with spirits and exclusive gear.
The event is free, with donations and drink proceeds directly supporting the Arts Council’s free community arts programs throughout Oxford.
Participants are encouraged to arrive in full pirate regalia for extra raffle entries and bragging rights.
So grab your eyepatch, raise your glass, and prepare to set sail without ever leaving the Square. The Captain Morgan Pirate Ship may be grounded—but the adventure, and the cause it supports, will lift everyone’s spirits.
To learn more, visit www.oxfordarts.com.
Eating Oxford
Lenora’s in Oxford delivers solid Southern fare with attentive service
At Lenora’s Restaurant in Oxford, Mississippi the seafood is fresh, the staff attentive, and dishes like rib eye and catfish stand out
OXFORD, Miss. — At Lenora’s Restaurant in the heart of Oxford, Mississippi, quality doesn’t come from gimmicks or gimmickry.
It’s built from consistency, craft, and the quiet confidence of a kitchen that knows its identity of Southern elegance, balanced by seafood staples and a touch of upscale polish.
A first impression that lasts
Situated at 309 North Lamar Boulevard, just steps away from the Square, Lenora’s manages to create a dining experience that feels elevated without being exclusive.
Soft lighting, rustic wood accents, and an uncluttered layout give the space a comfortable rhythm.
There’s a sense of refinement that doesn’t need to announce itself. It simply exists, welcoming guests into a dining room that suits both quiet conversation and shared celebration.
Tables are well-spaced, and the pace is deliberately calm. From the moment diners walk in, staff are attentive but never overbearing, allowing the experience to unfold at its own tempo.
A menu with depth and purpose
The menu at Lenora’s blends Southern influence with coastal finesse.
The star attractions often lean toward seafood—dishes like the seared catfish Lenora and shrimp pasta Lenora exemplify the restaurant’s commitment to familiar flavors delivered with thoughtful precision.
These dishes arrive hot, well-seasoned, and plated with attention that suggests pride behind the scenes.
Steaks are another strong point. The rib-eye, in particular, arrives with a sear that holds its juices and a side of smashed potatoes that achieves that rare feat of being both comforting and composed.
The mixed grill offerings allow guests to sample a little bit of everything—surf and turf combinations that work in harmony.
Appetizers such as the jumbo lump crab cake and the beef tenderloin skewer serve as a warm welcome to the meal. Meanwhile, seasonal salads, grilled vegetables, and expertly prepared greens round out the plate without feeling like afterthoughts.
Service that elevates the experience
While food often gets top billing in restaurant reviews, the service at Lenora’s deserves its own recognition. Guests routinely highlight the staff’s friendliness and professionalism.
In one recent example, a reviewer praised server Emily S. for being “calm, friendly, and super attentive,” even during a particularly busy evening.
That level of consistency isn’t an accident. The staff—from the front-of-house to the kitchen—operate with clear communication and a shared understanding of what makes for a great dining experience: timing, warmth, and a sense of ease.
Even when the restaurant is bustling on weekends or special occasions, the flow remains steady. Courses arrive at the right intervals, water glasses stay full, and special requests are handled without hesitation.
Finishing strong with dessert and drinks
When it comes to the final course, Lenora’s makes a strong case for lingering just a little longer.
Bread pudding with white chocolate sauce is a standout, offering a warm, rich bite without becoming overly heavy.
Other dessert selections rotate seasonally, giving repeat diners something new to look forward to.
The bar program includes handcrafted cocktails, a curated wine list, and premium spirits, creating an opportunity to extend the evening in relaxed fashion.
Whether it’s a classic old fashioned or a house-infused martini, the drink selection pairs naturally with the pace and style of the meal.
Consistency and craft at the center
Lenora’s isn’t trying to be trendy. It isn’t chasing viral moments or social media flash. What it offers instead is something harder to replicate: a sense of place.
A restaurant that knows who it is, knows what it does well, and delivers on that promise night after night.
It’s this combination of skill in the kitchen, warmth at the table, and ease in the atmosphere that makes Lenora’s a cornerstone of Oxford’s dining scene.
Whether it’s a dinner out with family, a date night, or a business conversation over a meal, Lenora’s fits the moment.
Location and hours of operation
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Address: 309 North Lamar Boulevard, Oxford, Mississippi 38655
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Phone: (662) 236‑1144
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Hours:
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Monday, Tuesday, Thursday: 5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
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Wednesday, Friday, Saturday: 5:00 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.
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Sunday: Closed
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Note: On major event weekends, opening hours may shift to 4:00 p.m.
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3 key takeaways
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Southern seafood done right — Signature dishes like the seared catfish and shrimp pasta showcase flavor without overcomplicating.
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Service with care — Staff are consistently described as professional, warm, and attentive, contributing to the calm, composed environment.
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Refined but relaxed — The space strikes a balance between casual comfort and upscale polish, making it accessible to all types of diners.
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Barbara Yates
June 11, 2015 at 5:27 pm
I’m looking for a recipe from the 1970’s called “Bar-B-Que Cups” and it uses canned biscuits in a muffin pan. I think it was a Pillsbury bake off runner up from around ’72or’73. It was a little sweet but it was great!