Sip & Flip Book Club: The Weight of Blood Party Menu

Come along with us as we pore over The Weight of Blood by Southern author Laura McHugh. Here, you'll find the perfect menu for for sipping and savoring as your book club flips for this set-in-the-South book.

This debut novel by Missouri-native Laura McHugh takes place in the Ozark Mountains, so we created a rustic menu that will have her colorful characters feeling right at home. We made a few simple subsitutions—like opting for chicken fried steak instead of venison steak—to ensure your guests flip for this novel menu.

• Weight of Blood Discussion Guide

Recipe: Southern Sweet Tea

Only Southerners understand just how sweet tea should be. Add the full cup of sugar to this recipe if you like yours extra sweet.

Watch Video: Simply Southern Sweet Tea

Recipe: Chicken-Fried Steak

Chicken-Fried Steak is a Southern favorite, so we stuck to the basics when creating this recipe. Cubed round steak is breaded and fried in a skillet then smothered with a thick, creamy gravy made from meat drippings and chicken broth.

Recipe: Browned Butter Mashed Potatoes

Everyone loves the simplicity of mashed potatoes, so make it a tradition to always have some on your Thanksgiving table.  Crafting delicious mashed mashed potatoes is not easy, but this recipe shows you how it’s done. It also brings the rich flavor of browned butter—those nutty taste you simply can’t get any other way—into the bowl. You’ll love the rich buttermilk, which adds fluff and creaminess to the mashed Yukon gold potatoes. Once you’ve whipped your potatoes to the perfect texture, you can garnish them with parsley, rosemary, or thyme. Once you sample the flavor of these potatoes, you’ll want them on the table every night of the week.

These springy yeast rolls are just the thing for sandwiching ham and stacking with a colorful array of condiments.

• Recipe: Mrs. Monty's Rolls

Recipe: Molasses-Spice Crinkles

The strong, sweet flavor of molasses balances well with a team of spices in these soft, chewy cookies crusted with sugar.