Every now and then, I get a night completely kid free. The stars will align and both of our children find themselves a place other than our house to crash for the night. Usually at a friend's house surrounded by junk food and video games. When those rare occasions happen, I find myself in quite the predicament...what do I cook for dinner? The answer is this quick and easy ...
meatless
Easy Macaroni Pasta Salad
Macaroni Salad is a classic summer side dish that is not only easy to make but its always a crowd pleaser. You just can't have a backyard barbecue or a pool party without it! Cold and creamy, tangy with a little bit of sweetness, and little bits of crunch from a few hidden veggies makes this macaroni salad perfect for just about any occasinon. How to Make Macaroni ...
Spicy Pimento Cheese
I was born and raised in the South and I love being southern. It's such a charming culture full of hot summer breezes, screen doors, grandma's cooking and a pitcher of sweet tea. Whenever I start cooking those traditionally southern dishes, I just can't help but think of my childhood that consisted mostly of climbing trees, playing in the creek and hanging out laundry. Now ...
Lemon Asparagus Cheese Spread
This Lemon Asparagus Cheese Spread is dangerously addictive. Full of bright lemon flavor and a delicate asparagus notes, this cheese spread will be gone before you know it! Whip some up for a snack or as a party dip! It will keep in the fridge for a week or so. I love small towns. Don't you? I don't mean "small" as in there is only one Walmart and 20,000 residents. I ...
Strawberries with Cinnamon Cream
Strawberries with Cinnamon Cream is a simple and elegant fruit dessert for warm spring days. Sweet berries topped with the tangy cinnamon cream are a match made in heaven. And it only takes minutes to whip up! So...Mother's Day is this coming weekend. It won't be long until the aisles of every Hallmark store will be jam packed full of people agonizing over just the right ...
Fried Tuna Patties with Yogurt Dill Sauce
Fried Tuna Patties with Yogurt Dill Sauce is one of those rare combinations of cheap, quick and delicious. We must have eaten tuna patties ( or "tuna croquettes" if you want to get real Southern) at least once a week growing up. Embrace the canned tuna and whip up this family favorite! I have a deep, abiding love for fried tuna patties. Isn't that weird? I just can't ...
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Parmesan Sage Croutons
Kick off soup season with this creamy Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Parmesan Sage Croutons. It's perfect for chilly Autumn days. Don't skip the croutons! They give this soup a little extra body and a hit of salty savoriness. It seems that Fall is the only season to arrive on time this year. It's cooler ( finally!!) and kinda rainy and the leaves are just starting to ...
Parmesan Popcorn
It's been forever since I have posted recipes but in that time I have successfully gotten my two five year olds started in kindergarten. My pocketbook took a final huge sigh of relief as they climbed on the bus and headed toward a free education (goodbye daycare!) Since then, lots of people have asked me if I cried their first day or if I am sad to see them growing up. I have ...
Zucchini Cheddar Hushpuppies
Zucchini Cheddar Hushpuppies are a quick an delicious Summer side dish perfect for barbeques and fish frys. Use up all that zucchini with these puppies! Summer, for us, is just about over. My babies will have their very first day of kindergarten in 3 weeks! Almost all of the school supply shopping is finished. The new Tinkerbell and Cars backpacks are loaded down with ...
Garden Fresh Chow Chow
I love love love to can. If I loved cleaning as much as I love canning, my house would sparkle. It would look like all of those pictures on Pinterest where everything is neat and organized with cute little labels. So far, the only thing in the house with cute little labels is all of m canning projects. My new favorite canning project is this chow-chow. It's ...
Classic Caesar Salad
Classic Caesar Salad isn't hard to make, in fact it can be a simple and inexpensive salad to accompany dinner. Top it with grilled chicken or salmon and it makes an excellent dinner! I've been a little obsessed with classic Caesar salads lately. Maybe it's because it so hard to find a really good one. Or maybe it corresponds with my other new obsession, anchovy paste. It ...
Spicy Black Eye Pea Salad
I consider myself a good Southerner and I tend to stick to tradition as much as anyone when it comes to welcoming in a new year. I never hang up my new calendar for the new year until January 1st ( much to my daughter's chagrin) and I always eat my black eye peas on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. That's not to say that I get up and particularly look forward to eating a big ...
A New Turn in the South – A Review
Besides just the fun of writing about whatever I want to write about, there are a few other perks to being a food blogger. No, I'm not talking about big advertising space checks, I don't know anything about those perks. I'm talking about the occasional opportunities that are delivered to my email from time to time asking me to review or promote an item. Sometimes I turn them ...
Green Tomato Salsa Verde
My tomato plants have been good to me this year. While everyone else in town has been complaining about a horrible year for tomatoes, my 3 tomato plants have kept me and my family knee deep in juicy ripe tomatoes all Summer. So, now here it is October and the first frost is expected to come tonight and that means the end of my hard working tomato plants. It took me two trips to ...
Homemade Cucumber Relish
Thity-three quarts of green beans, 9 quarts of tomtoes, 7 pints, black eye peas, 8 pints of cucumber relish, 7 pints of kosher dill pickles and 2 gallons of sauerkraut fermenting in my utility room.Our stockpile shelves that have very sparse since we moved are now busting at the seams. I have been on a canning bender. I think I may have a "problem" because I just can't ...